2024-03-28 11:45:44
(ANSA) – TRENTO, MARCH 27 – A research group from the University of Trento, led by the professor of applied biology at the Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrated Biology, Fulvio Chiacchiera, has identified some mechanisms underlying the development of liver tumors, following mutations in the Arid1A gene, which are found in a significant percentage of this type of tumors. The results – the university informs – were published in the journal “Science Advances”.
The study was carried out in collaboration with the European Institute of Oncology (Ieo) in Milan and with the Provincial Company for Health Services (Apss) of the Autonomous Province of Trento, thanks to the support of the Airc Foundation for cancer research. The researchers – in addition to Chiacchiera, the article is signed by Alessandro D’Ambrosio, Davide Bressan and Elisa Ferracci – have discovered that the mutations of Ctnnb1 associated with those of the Arid1A gene lead to the development of particularly aggressive liver tumors, capable of causing metastasis in the lungs. If the data obtained are confirmed in clinical studies, the presence of mutations in the Arid1A gene identified before the development of the tumor could provide valuable information to doctors on the need to subject the patient to in-depth examinations and checks.
“The data available to us demonstrate the importance of the protein encoded by the Arid1A gene in safeguarding the integrity of the genome. When this gene undergoes a mutation that determines the loss of the protein’s function, damage to the DNA increases. This increases the frequency with which other potentially dangerous mutations can be acquired and is accompanied by an increase in inflammation, all factors that promote the development of tumors,” explained Chiacchiera.
Liver cancer is among the most common and has the highest mortality rate. Every year, it affects around 90 thousand people in Europe and 13 thousand in Italy. It is a generally silent neoplasm and for this reason the diagnosis is often late, a factor that contributes to drastically limiting the possibilities of treatment.
(ANSA).
2024-03-28 11:45:44