APOBEC3B is an enzymatic source of mutation in breast cancer
08. 02. 2013 | Cancer Research UK
Genetic errors driving the majority of breast cancers may be caused by a hyperactive enzyme called APOBEC3B, according to US researchers [1].
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The finding could lead to new ways to diagnose and treat breast cancer, exploiting the root cause of genetic damage - 'DNA editing' by the enzyme - rather than the damage itself.
Under normal circumstances, APOBEC enzymes help repair damaged DNA and protect against viruses like HIV.
But the University of Minnesota researchers showed in a research paper published in Nature that one particular form of APOBEC was found in high levels in breast cancer cells.
Read the whole article at Cancer Research UK
Reference
- Burns, M. B., Lackey, L. et al. (2013). APOBEC3B is an enzymatic source of mutation in breast cancer Nature DOI: 10.1038/nature11881
Keywords: APOBEC3B, breast cancer
