Brain Cancer Breakthrough: Unlocking the Secrets of 3D Gene Hubs Scientists have discovered that the way DNA folds within brain cells plays a crucial role in glioblastoma, offering new targets for potential cancer treatments.
Glioblastoma, a devastating form of brain cancer, may finally have a new weakness: the very architecture of DNA within cancer cells. A groundbreaking study from Weill Cornell Medicine reveals that the three-dimensional organization of genes into "hubs" drives cancer behavior, offering a fresh perspective beyond simple gene mutations.
Imagine your genome – a six-foot-long strand of DNA – crammed into a space 80 times smaller than a grain of sand. To fit, it folds meticulously, bringing distant regions together. These contact points become hubs that coordinate cellular processes. In healthy cells, these hubs are vital. But in glioblastoma, researchers found that cancer-causing genes cluster together in these hubs, coordinating with other genes not previously known to be involved in the disease. This means that even without mutations, epigenetic changes to DNA packaging can turn genes on or off, influencing the formation of these 3D hubs.
"This study shows that the 3D organization of DNA inside tumor cells plays a powerful role in driving brain cancer behavior -- sometimes even more than mutations themselves," explains Dr. Howard Fine, co-leader of the study.
The team used CRISPR interference, a gene editing tool, to shut down a suspected cancer-related hub in glioblastoma cells grown in petri dishes. The effect was remarkable. The activity of connected genes dropped, multiple cancer genes were disrupted, and the cancer cells' ability to form tumor-like spheres diminished. In other words, they altered the oncogenic program of the cells.
This isn't just about brain cancer. Analyzing data from 16 different cancer types, the researchers found that these hyperconnected 3D hubs appear in most cancers, including melanoma, lung, prostate, and uterine cancers. While each cancer has unique hubs, some are shared across multiple types.
The discovery offers a potential for new cancer treatments, not just for brain cancer. By identifying these key control hubs, scientists can target epigenetic and spatial genome organization, potentially complementing traditional molecular therapies. Dr. Fine emphasizes that the next step is to explore how these hubs form and whether it's possible to safely disrupt them to slow or stop tumor growth. This research opens a new avenue for fighting cancer by targeting the very structure of DNA within the cell, promising more effective and less toxic treatments in the future.
