Researchers in Australia have identified biological factors that make certain regions of the brain more prone to tumor growth, offering new insights into how brain cancers arise, El.kz cites Xinhua.
Using fruit fly models, the researchers examined why cancer-causing mutations trigger tumors in some brain areas but not others, said a statement released Thursday by Australia's Peter MacCallum Cancer Center (Peter Mac) in Melbourne.
The study, published in the U.S. journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, identified a protein called "Chinmo" as a key determinant of tumor formation.
The team found that mutations in fruit fly brain regions where Chinmo is active are far more likely to become cancerous, while the same mutations do not form tumors where Chinmo is absent.
"We could change the fate of cells carrying the exact same mutation by turning Chinmo on or off," said Professor Louise Cheng from Peter Mac, whose lab conducted the research, suggesting potential pathways for intervention.
Researchers also found that Chinmo is regulated by a steroid hormone involved in brain development, highlighting how developmental timing and hormonal signals influence cancer risk.
The findings may help scientists identify similar "competence factors" in humans that allow cancers to form, and develop strategies to prevent cancer by targeting those conditions therapeutically, Cheng said.
