Metastases with mitochondrial mutations

2008/05/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Medikuntza

Scientists have long had several mitochondrial DNA mutations related to metastasis. However, they did not know what the cause was and what consequences: Are mutations due to metastases or migrated cancer cells? Now, researchers at the University of Tsucuba, in Japan, have clarified that the first option is correct, that is, several mitochondrial DNA mutations can help launch metastasis.

Research has been done with mice. They caused tumors to mice with cells tending to metastasis. However, metastasis of these cells did not occur until it was introduced into the DNA mitochondria mutated by researchers. According to the researchers, metastasis was launched with the help of these mutations.