Biologists have previously found that this kind of transformation, which often occurs in cancer cells as well as during embryonic development, is controlled by transcription factors — proteins that turn genes on and off. …
The team identified a critical pathway of molecular signals which throw a lifeline to cancer cells, enabling them to survive even though they contain vast DNA errors which would usually trigger cell death. The PKCƐ signal pathway, which is used by cancer cells but rarely by normal cells, could be important in targeting some cancer cells as they rely on this pathway to survive…
The researchers showed that chromosomal instability — which is a hallmark of rapidly dividing cancer cells — makes them stressed and vulnerable to mild metabolic disruption. Metabolism is the normal process by which the body turns food into energy…