Skip to main content
Premium Trial:

Request an Annual Quote

Clonal Hematopoiesis Contributes to Development of Colitis-Associated Colon Cancer in Mouse Model

Clonal hematopoiesis may contribute to colitis-associated colon cancer risk by influencing angiogenesis, a new study has found. Clonal hematopoiesis is known to increase risk of blood cancers but it is also found among solid cancer patients where it is also linked to decreased survival. In a new study appearing in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, researchers from the University of Florida and elsewhere examined the effect of clonal hematopoiesis on colitis-associated colon cancer in mice. They treated mice whose blood stem cells were missing a copy of Dnmt3a — the most common genetic alteration in clonal hematopoiesis — and control mice with drugs to induce colitis-associated colon cancer to find that disease was more prevalent among mice with Dnmt3a haploinsufficiency. Transcriptomic analysis of the tumors further highlighted an increase in carcinogenic gene signatures, including angiogenesis, and treating the mice with the anti-angiogenesis kidney cancer drug axitinib could block the tumor-promoting effects of Dnmt3a haploinsufficiency. "Our results show that alterations in Dnmt3a in bone marrow stem cells can have profound impact on the development of [colitis-associated colon cancer] through multiple mechanisms, some of which may be therapeutically targetable," senior author Olga Guryanova from the UF Health Cancer Center says in a statement.

The Scan

Positive Framing of Genetic Studies Can Spark Mistrust Among Underrepresented Groups

Researchers in Human Genetics and Genomics Advances report that how researchers describe genomic studies may alienate potential participants.

Small Study of Gene Editing to Treat Sickle Cell Disease

In a Novartis-sponsored study in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found that a CRISPR-Cas9-based treatment targeting promoters of genes encoding fetal hemoglobin could reduce disease symptoms.

Gut Microbiome Changes Appear in Infants Before They Develop Eczema, Study Finds

Researchers report in mSystems that infants experienced an enrichment in Clostridium sensu stricto 1 and Finegoldia and a depletion of Bacteroides before developing eczema.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treatment Specificity Enhanced With Stem Cell Editing

A study in Nature suggests epitope editing in donor stem cells prior to bone marrow transplants can stave off toxicity when targeting acute myeloid leukemia with immunotherapy.