Gene Responsible for Ageing is also Linked to Blood Cancer

A recent study has established a link between the gene which is responsible for ageing and a higher risk of blood cancer. The study provides a glimpse into the relationship between the genes and their effects on cancer risk, thus making it possible to develop better treatment options. Blood cancer, especially myeloma, is a condition that cannot be cured. So scientists are looking into the possibility of identifying the threat of blood cancer, so that preventive measures may be taken in time, by studying the genetic makeup of a high-risk patient.

What is Blood Cancer?

Blood cancer begins in the bone marrow where production of blood takes place. In most blood cancers, the normal development of the blood cell is interrupted by their abnormal and rapid growth. These abnormal cells do not let the blood perform its normal functions, such as preventing bleeding or fighting infections. Because of this, the body loses its resistance, thus leading to a weak immune system.

 

Myeloma, a common type of blood cancer, affects the plasma cells. These plasma cells are nothing but the white blood cells which are responsible for producing antibodies that fight diseases and infections in the body. Myeloma causes a weakened immune system that is susceptible to infections.

 

According to statistics, nearly 4,700 patients are affected by myeloma every year due to genetic mutations. 4 out of 10 patients live through the disease for more than 5 years whereas 3 in 10 die within a year.

 

 

 

New Findings

Scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research London found that the gene which is responsible for ageing has links with blood cancer development as well. Researchers concluded that the gene that is responsible for the internal clock of the cell is also 50% responsible for one of the most common types of blood cancer known as myeloma. However, researchers also suggested that it does not mean that the cancer is inevitable for those with this gene. This major study helps shed light on the genetic causes of blood cancer.

 

Scientists had previously identified 3 genetic variants responsible for myeloma. The new study identified some more, thus bringing the total to 7 genetic variants. The study not only helps to understand the genetic reasons of blood cancer, but will also help researchers develop appropriate treatments for the disease. Identifying the genetic makeup of blood cancer will also help physicians assess the risk and formulate treatment plans accordingly.

 

Cancer is nothing but the abnormal division of cells. To control this abnormal growth, our body has an innate system that keeps a check on cell division. But as human beings age, the body loses its ability to keep those checks up, thus making it more susceptible to developing cancer. Those with a specific genetic makeup may become more easy targets of cancer.

 

Myeloma is incurable and has devastating effects on the body; the new study helps identify people who are at high risk of inheriting myeloma, thus significantly reducing the chances of someone developing this cancer. However, researchers also warn that before undergoing genetic testing, patients should be given counseling so that they are able to able to cope with the results of the test.

The new study has truly been a breakthrough in the medical community because it gives a glimmer of hope in the treatment of myeloma which is otherwise incurable.

 

 

 

Author Bio:

Sameer Gupta is a medical writer who writes well-researched, in-depth cancer articles which provide relevant information to help patients combat the deadly disease.

Categories: ageing, Blood Cancer, body loses, cancer nbsp, gene, genetic makeup, high risk, nbsp myeloma, nbsp nbsp, plasma cells, study helps

The Truth About Why Angelina Jolie Had a Double Mastectomy

A few months ago, the world was rocked by revelations about the health of actress Angelina Jolie. The actress revealed that she had opted to improve her wellness and wellbeing by undergoing a double mastectomy. This was due to the fact that she had tested positive for the BRCA 1 gene, following the death of her mother, and this meant that preemptive surgery gave her the best chance of staying healthy.

 

BRCA1 is a gene that makes people more susceptible to breast or ovarian cancer. It is a very dangerous gene to be in possession of, as it makes your chances of getting cancer extremely high (and the chances of a cure much lower than for the average person who contracts these types of cancer.

 

Breast cancer is a very common disease; statistics show that around 12 percent of women will develop the disease at some point during their lives. If women have a positive test for the BRCA mutation, their chances are much higher.

 

Jolie’s mother Marcheline Bertrand died in 2007 of ovarian cancer, and her aunt died recently of breast cancer, leading Jolie to suspect that there may be a higher risk of her possessing the gene. If you have a number of close relatives who have this disease, it can be an indicator that you are a carrier of the gene.

 

To that end, if you are adopted or have become estranged from your family, it’s a really good idea to do some background research and find out about any family history, so that you can take any precautions necessary.

 

Since the surgery, Jolie has revealed that her children were a major reason for her decision to go ahead with the surgery; the actress did not want her children to have to fear losing her to cancer. Her chances of the disease, following the surgery, have dropped from a scary 86 percent to just under five percent.

Categories: angelina, angelina jolie, breast cancer, cancer, double mastectomy, gene, jolie, mastectomy, nbsp, ovarian cancer, surgery

Are You Genetically Predisposed to be Lazy?

Love a lie-in? Can’t drag yourself off the sofa? Maybe it’s your parents fault! You know that fitness and exercise is important not only for physical wellness, but for your overall wellbeing too, but some people are just more “into it” than others – and genes may be the reason. This is according to a new study from researchers in the US, who have found that certain genetic traits may make you predisposed to being more or less motivated to being active.

For the study, researchers at the University of Missouri selectively bred rats that exhibited traits of either extreme activity or extreme laziness. Yes, humans and rats are different, but the researchers still assert that genetics can still play a role in exercise motivation in humans. Researcher Frank Booth explained, ‘We have shown that it is possible to be genetically predisposed to being lazy. This could be an important step in identifying additional causes for obesity in humans…It would be very useful to know if a person is genetically predisposed to having a lack of motivation to exercise, because that could potentially make them more likely to grow obese.’

The researchers evaluated the rats by putting them in cages with running wheels and measuring how much each rat willingly ran on its wheel during a six-day period. From this, the researchers bred the top 26 runners with each other and bred the 26 rats that ran the least with each other, repeating this process through 10 generations. The scientists then studied the levels of mitochondria in muscle cells of the “super runner” and “couch potato” rats, as well as comparing their body compositions and conducting genetic evaluations through RNA deep sequencing of each rat.

The results of the study showed that the line of running rats chose to run 10 times more than the line of “lazy” rats. According to researcher Michael Roberts, ‘While we found minor differences in the body composition and levels of mitochondria in muscle cells of the rats, the most important thing we identified were the genetic differences between the two lines of rats. Out of more than 17,000 different genes in one part of the brain, we identified 36 genes that may play a role in predisposition to physical activity motivation.’

Are You Genetically Predisposed to be Lazy?

Categories: gene, Laziness, Research

Type 1 Diabetes – Treatable with Gene Therapy?

A step forward in gene therapy may mark further benefits for those suffering from Type 1 Diabetes.

By applying gene therapy to dogs for up to four years, minus the effects of hypoglycaemia, the advance could prove advantageous for diabetics. The change from using the methods on mice and using dogs (namely Beagles) instead has shown positive success.

“Moving from mice to large animals is a big step,” said Dr. Fatima Bosch, Director of the Center of Animal Biotechnology and Gene Therapy. “If something works well in large animals, we have reason to believe, based on the previous experience in the field of gene transfer, that it is likely that we will see a similar outcomes in humans. For example, gene therapy that worked well in large animals to treat haemophilia is now seeing positive results in clinical trials with humans. We hope that in a few years, we’ll be able to test this therapy for type 1 diabetes in humans as well.”

The dogs were given insulin and glucokinase through an adenoassociated virus (AAV) vector – a vehicle which transports DNA using a virus that is not designed to harm its host. It can still “infect” them, but the cargo could contain whatever the creator wishes. In this case, the insulin and glocokinase is the cargo, which is beneficial.

Insulin is a very familiar component for those suffering from either type of diabetes, which helps to regulate the glucose in the blood. Whilst naturally created by the pancreas, those suffering from diabetes go through the issue that the pancreas produces too little, meaning that the body’s blood sugar is not regulated properly. Through injections and (or) a healthy diet, this is often maintained quite well. Glucokinase is partnered to insulin, which also helps to regulate the rise and fall of circulating glucose levels.

By injecting them into the dogs, researchers found that the dogs maintained normal blood glucose levels for up to four years without any signs of hypoglycaemia and without any need of further injections.

With further testing proving to be promising, the researchers hope to be able to test on humans in the future.

Type 1 Diabetes – Treatable with Gene Therapy?

Categories: Animal Testing, Blood glucose, Diabetes, Dogs, gene, gene therapy, Glucose, glucose levels, large animals, therapy, treatment, type, type one diabetes

New gene shows that active people live longer?

Have you ever spoken to an older person about their secret to a long life and had them tell you that the key to living longer is to keep busy? There may actually be something in that, as a new study has shown that the key to long life and wellness may be hidden inside a gene.

This gene - officially called the DRD4 7R allele – is a dopamine-receptor gene and appears in much higher rates in people who are over the age of 90. It is strongly linked to wellbeing and an increase in lifespan when studied in mice, too. This is the first time that a specific ‘long life’ gene has been noted, and results of the study have appeared in The Journal of Neuroscience.

A key scientist has said that this gene, which helps with the transmission of signals between neurons in the human body, is a big part of the area of the brain which is responsible for reward-driven behaviour and attention seeking.

Interestingly, people who carry this gene are not only likely to live longer, they also carry certain other recognisable social traits. Carriers of the gene appear, from the study, to be more motivated, more physical and more active. This type of gene also has a link to less positive effects, such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and to people who have risk-taking or addictive personalities.

It could be the case that the gene simply makes people live more active lives, and that this way of living, in turn, increases health and gives people greater likelihood of living longer, rather than that the gene itself directly makes people live longer. It’s certainly well documented that an active lifestyle reduces health concerns and has all kinds of positive benefits. Further studies will now be put in place to identify exactly what this gene does and how to benefit from the new knowledge.

Categories: active, gene, live longer