Monash University (Australia), together with Harvard University, has discovered a way to permanently switch off cancer genes using epigenetic therapy. This method makes it possible to “reprogram” gene activity without changing gene structure.
It was found that drugs that block the specific proteins Menin and DOT1L can switch off malignant genes in cells of acute forms of leukemia. The effect persists even after the therapy ends — the cells “forget” that they were cancerous. As a result, they lose the ability to keep multiplying, and the treatment produces a lasting result.
The method is expected to enter clinical trials later this year. Understanding how these drugs work will make it possible not only to improve their effectiveness, but also to reduce treatment toxicity.
