Scientists tackle the aberrant epigenetic programming underlying childhood cancers

(Write Science Right) Researchers at UFRGS and the US NIH have targeted proteins that regulate chromatin in Ewing sarcoma cells, hindering malignant tumor growth. They induced chromatic relaxation by treating the cells with histone deacetylase inhibitors, reducing expression of the EWSR1-FLI-1 oncogene and other pluripotency/cell viability genes, while impairing sarcoma cell survival and growth. Decreased survival of stem-like cancer cells and re-expression of a neuronal differentiation marker were also observed.
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news