New discovery brings hope to treatment of incurable blood cancer

Multiple myeloma is one of the most common blood cancers, and at present considered to be incurable. In a new study from Uppsala University, researchers now present a conceptually new model for the development and progression of multiple myeloma. The study was done in collaboration with Vrije Universitet Brussels and is published in the July edition of the on-line journal PLoS ONE.

Using large cohorts of myeloma patients the researchers have identified a profile of genes that are silenced by epigenetic mechanisms in the malignant plasma cell.

"This silencing may lead to the uncontrolled growth of the malignant cells", says Helena Jernberg Wiklund, professor at the Department of Genetics and Pathology, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University and one of the investigators in the study.

The silenced gene profile was compared and contrasted to normal plasma cells, which are highly specialised and for which growth and lifetime is tightly controlled.

The silenced genes have a common denominator in being targets and controlled by the Polycomb repressor complex (PcG). This complex has previously been implicated in self-renewal and division of normal . In the study the researchers found that inhibitors of PcG also could decrease the growth of tumour cells in an of myeloma.

"A new strategy for treating could be to develop drugs that are targeted to the PcG complex, leading to reactivation of the silenced gene profile", says Helena Jernberg Wiklund.

More information: Read the article in PLos ONE.

Provided by Uppsala University
Citation: New discovery brings hope to treatment of incurable blood cancer (2010, July 15) retrieved 28 March 2024 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2010-07-discovery-treatment-incurable-blood-cancer.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

Explore further

Two biologics studied for multiple myeloma

 shares

Feedback to editors