Publican su hallazgo en la edición electrónica de "Nature Genetics". En 1992, investigadores de la Universidad Johns Hopkins mostraban por primera vez que algunas formas de este tipo de tumor podían ser hereditarias. Comenzó entonces la búsqueda de los genes responsables y, en 1996, científicos del NHGRI, en colaboración con otros equipos de Estados Unidos y Suecia, estudiando a 91 familias con mayor predisposición al cáncer de próstata, localizaron la causa de la mayor susceptibilidad en una región del cromosoma 1.
Ahora han identificado el gen en cuestión, que es el de la ribonucleasa L o RNASEL. Han encontrado en él mutaciones que lo inactivan y han observado que funciona defendiendo las células del ataque de virus y colaborando en la muerte celular programada.
Sin embargo, estas mutaciones no explican todos los casos de cáncer de próstata hereditarios, señalan los científicos. "No es el único gen implicado en el cáncer de próstata. Sabemos que mutaciones en distintos genes pueden conducir al desarrollo de la enfermedad y este gen posiblemente representa un nuevo miembro en el repertorio de genes del cáncer de próstata".
Webs Relacionadas
National Human Genome Research Institute
http://www.nhgri.nih.gov/
Nature Genetics
http://www.nature.com/ng/
Johns Hopkins Medicine
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/
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