How missing pieces of the Y chromosome drive cancer in men
A new study found that cancer cells selectively chip away gene-rich sections of the Y chromosome, triggering changes that regulate tumor growth. Co-led by University of Arizona Cancer Center physician-scientist Dr. Dan Theodorescu, the paper, "Recurrent deletions and regulatory disruption of the Y chromosome in cancer," was published in the journal Communications Biology.
A new study has found that cancer cells selectively chip away at gene-rich sections of the Y chromosome, triggering changes that regulate tumor growth. Led by Dr. Dan Theodorescu from the University of Arizona Cancer Center, the paper titled "Recurrent deletions and regulatory disruption of the Y chromosome in cancer" was published in Communications Biology.
The study analyzed genome sequencing and gene expression data from 160 male cell lines and discovered that cancer cells lose specific, gene-rich regions of the Y chromosome to aid tumor growth while keeping other regions intact. Researchers identified 24 protein-coding genes on the Y chromosome that were recurrently lost, with 15 of these genes also found to be lost in external datasets.
The findings show that these Y chromosome losses are acquired over time rather than inherited traits, and understanding which parts are lost could lead to targeted therapies for patients.
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