Cell social network reveals rogue cancer switches
Courtesy of New Scientist
IN CERTAIN social circles, it’s not what you know, but who you know that counts. The same seems to be true of the gene switches that turn on cancer cells.
One way cells turn genes on and off is via small RNA molecules. In cancer, the usual pattern of microRNA production is disrupted…
Carlo Croce,… created a diagram of interacting miRNAs for normal body cells by connecting them according to which genes they target and the function of those genes, in a way similar to analyses of human social networks. Most miRNAs have limited effects, but it turns out that a few extend their influence in many directions – just as a few people in a social network seem to "know everybody".
When the researchers compared these networks for ordinary cells and for cells from 51 forms of cancer, they found that all the miRNAs of ordinary cells were connected in a single network…
What’s more, the highly connected "hub" miRNAs were often different for cancer cells (Genome Research, DOI: 10.1101/gr.098046.109). These unique hubs might represent key points of attack in cancer therapies, says Croce.
Whole Cancer Network article here.>>
Social network analogy: The Guys from Government Sachs and pic credit, NY Times
