Researchers have identified genes that underlie the growth of primitive leukemia stem cells – and used the new genetic signature to identify currently available drugs that selectively target the rogue cells.
They studied leukemia stem cells, which, unlike normal cells, renew uncontrollably and are believed to be the first cells at the root of malignancy.
After identifying the CRG or “cooperation response genes,” signature for leukemia stem cells, researchers employed a sophisticated genomics tool open to the public since 2007. The tool catalogs hundreds of known drug compounds and allows researchers to search for drugs that mimic genomic disease signatures.
Read more at University of Rochester