Pancreatic Cancer, the Palladin Gene, and the Chappell Family
Not all families worry about DNA privacy when it comes to participating in studies that help to identify genes responsible for diseases like cancer. A study of the Bradfield family helped to find the CDH1 stomach cancer gene and a study of the Chappell family has identified an association between the palladin gene and pancreatic cancer.
[Dr. Teri] Brentnall focused on a mutation in a gene called palladin, a key part of the cell skeleton that controls cells’ shape and ability to move around, she says. Pancreatic cancer is notorious for its movement; it can spread to vital organs such as the liver, even when the original tumor is smaller than a dime. Only about 4% of patients survive five years or more.
Brentnall’s team found that pancreatic cancer cells had 20 times more abnormal palladin than healthy cells. None of the normal cells had the mutation. In lab tests, cells with the mutated palladin produced defective skeletons and moved 50% faster than healthy ones.
By the way, I’m filling in over at Cancer Commentary for a week or so. Come by and have a cup of tea with me!
USA Today, December 11, 2006
Photo credit: Lance McCord
Technorati Tags: stomach cancer, cdh1, pancreatic cancer, palladin, genetics, genes, dna, diseases, illness, health, bradfield, chappell
