The HFSP Journal Publishes New Article On The Impact Of Mechanical Stimulation On The Initiation Of Colon Cancer

Main Category: Colorectal Cancer
Article Date: 19 Jul 2008 - 2:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

The HFSP Journal, the new interdisciplinary journal for scientists conducting high quality, innovative research at the interface between biology and the physical sciences is pleased to announce that the latest article on the impact of mechanical stimulation on the initiation of colon cancer in now available online at http://hfspj.aip.org.

Inappropriate activity of the beta-catenin transcriptional factor, most often due to truncating mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene, is known to be the principal cause of colon cancer development, yet loss of APC appears to be necessary but not sufficient in itself to trigger neoplastic transformation. Environmental signals, in addition to loss of both APC alleles, were suggested to be required for both initiation of tumourigenesis and for tumour progression.

Understanding the source of these additional environmental cues which promote tumour initiation and progression will allow the development of alternative approaches to colon cancer prevention and treatment. Because the gastrointestinal tract is naturally submitted to significant endogenous mechanical strains, Emmanuel Farge and his colleagues at the Curie Institute in Paris have tested the ability of colon explants from normal or APC-deficient mice to respond to mechanical strain by analyzing changes in the distribution of beta-catenin and expression of its target genes and report on their findings in the HFSP Journal.

HFSP PUBLISHING
12 Quai Saint Jean
http://www.hfsp-publishing.org