Katherine Chiappinelli: How Jumping Genes Rewire Cancer Cells and Fuel Tumor Growth
Researchers have published a review detailing how transposable elements (TEs), or 'jumping genes,' contribute to cancer progression by rewiring cells and causing genomic instability. The study suggests that targeting these elements could offer new therapeutic vulnerabilities for cancer treatment.
Why it matters
Understanding the role of TEs in cancer provides a potential new pathway for early detection and targeted oncology treatments.
Katherine Chiappinelli , Associate Professor of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine at The George Washington University, shared on LinkedIn :
”When the human genome was sequenced in 2003, one of the most striking findings was that only 1-2% of the genome codes for proteins. The majority is made up of repetitive DNA and transposable elements ( TEs ). TEs are self-propagating pieces of DNA that can move about the genome and are active from plants to humans. TEs contribute to gene regulation and cellular processes in healthy and diseased tissues, but are notably dysregulated and overexpressed in cancers.
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