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Cancer

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charbel Abou Maroun
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13 views

Cancer

Uploaded by

charbel Abou Maroun
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Cancer

1. Oncogenes
2. Mutated Tumor
Suppressor Genes
3. Cancer Progression
4. Cancer and Age
5. “Multiple Hit” Hypothesis
Background Information

A gene is a
region of
DNA that
codes for a
protein.
A gene is a region of DNA
Background Information that codes for a protein.
Good → Bad Proto-oncogene → Oncogene
Proto-oncogenes are genes that normally help cells grow. When a proto-oncogene mutates (changes) or
there are too many copies of it, it becomes a "bad" gene that can become permanently turned on or
activated when it is not supposed to be. When this happens, the cell grows out of control, which can lead
to cancer. This “bad gene” is called an oncogene.
Proto-oncogenes code for proteins that are analogous to a car's gas pedal.
Proto-oncogenes code for proteins that are analogous to a car's gas pedal.

GENES CAR
● When a proto-oncogene is active, a ● When a gas pedal is activated, the car will
protein will be made that will cause the add gas to the engine and the car will
cell to divide (i.e. a cyclin). “go”.

● When the proto-oncogene not activated,


the cell will not make the protein and the ● When the gas pedal is not activated, the
cell will not divide. car will not add gas to the engine and the
car will not “go”.
● When mutated to become an oncogene,
the cell is constantly making the protein, ● If there is a faulty gas pedal that is stuck
causing the cell to divide even if it should down, the car will go even if it should not
not be dividing. be moving.

CANCER ACCIDENT
1. Oncogenes
2. Mutated Tumor
Suppressor Genes
3. Cancer Progression
4. Cancer and Age
5. “Multiple Hit” Hypothesis
Good → Bad
Tumor Suppressor Gene → Mutated Tumor Suppressor Gene
Tumor suppressor genes are normal genes that slow down cell division, repair DNA mistakes, or tell cells
when to die (apoptosis). When tumor suppressor genes are mutated, they don't work properly and cells
can grow out of control, which can lead to cancer.
Tumor suppressor genes code for proteins that are analogous to a car's
brake pedal.
Tumor suppressor genes code for proteins that are analogous to a car's
brake pedal.
GENES CAR
● When a tumor suppressor gene is ● When a brake pedal is activated, the car
active, a protein will be made that will will slow down and “STOP”.
inhibit cell division.

● When mutated to become a mutated ● If there is a faulty brake pedal, the car
tumor suppressor gene, the cell is does cannot stop; the car will continue to go
not not make the protein that inhibits cell even if it should not be moving.
division, causing the cell to divide even if
it should not be dividing.

CANCER ACCIDENT
p53 is protein coded for by a functional tumor suppressor gene.

NORMAL TUMOR SUPPRESSOR FUNCTION:


If there is DNA damage (and the cell should not continue to divide), the p53 protein
cause the DNA to make a CDK inhibitor molecule. The inhibitor binds to the cyclin
D-CDK complex, preventing phosphorylation of the target proteins. This STOPS the
cell from moving into S phase.🙂

D
p53 is protein coded for by a functional tumor suppressor gene.

MUTATED TUMOR SUPPRESSOR FUNCTION:


If the tumor suppressor gene that codes for the p53 protein is mutated, the p53
protein can not cause the DNA to make a CDK inhibitor molecule. There is nothing
to stop the cyclin D-CDK complex from phosphorylating the target proteins. So the
cell continues into S phase even though it has mutated DNA. 😠

D
1. Oncogenes
2. Mutated Tumor
Suppressor Genes
3. Cancer Progression
4. Cancer and Age
5. “Multiple Hit” Hypothesis
1. Oncogenes
2. Mutated Tumor
Suppressor Genes
3. Cancer Progression
4. Cancer and Age
5. “Multiple Hit” Hypothesis
Age is the biggest
risk factor for the
development of
cancer.
↑ age
↑ cancer cases
↑ cancer rate
Why?
… keep going to learn the answer ...
1. Oncogenes
2. Mutated Tumor
Suppressor Genes
3. Cancer Progression
4. Cancer and Age
5. “Multiple Hit” Hypothesis
Multiple Hit Hypothesis: This is the answer to WHY cancer correlates with age...

Cancer is the result of the accumulation of


multiple mutations to a cell's DNA*.
*Specifically,
mutations of the
the tumor
suppressor
genes and proto-
oncogenes
Multiple Hit Hypothesis:
Cancer develops in older people simply because of their
prolonged exposure to carcinogens such as sunlight,
radiation, environmental chemicals, and substances in the
food we eat. Mutations also occur as a result of random
errors when a cell’s DNA is copied before it divides. As a
result, our cells accumulate more mutations the longer we
live.
● You'd think elephants would be
getting cancer left and right: They are
giants of the animal kingdom and
have trillions more cells than humans
-- cells that, in theory, could turn into
cancer over their decades-long
lifespans.
● But you'd be wrong. It's not that they
never get cancer, but less than 5% of
elephants die from it, versus up to
25% of humans.
● WHY? They have a “zombie” gene
that causes cell apoptosis, so cell die
before they can become cancerous.

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