乳腺癌,，這全世界婦女的“頭號殺手”逼得數(shù)以萬計(jì)的婦女切除乳房,；豐胸,，這一全球最流行的整形術(shù)不知牽動多少顆愛美的心。英國科學(xué)家為乳腺癌患者和急待豐胸的女人們帶來福音,，他們發(fā)現(xiàn)促進(jìn)乳房增長的基因,，不久將在實(shí)驗(yàn)室內(nèi)培養(yǎng)乳房，再生乳房不是夢,。
英國乳腺癌研究中心人員在研究多乳頭病癥時(shí)偶然破解促進(jìn)乳房增長的基因,，因此研究人員將此基因命名為scaramanga (史卡拉孟加基因)，源自一個(gè)長著三個(gè)乳頭的虛構(gòu)黑幫人物,。該項(xiàng)研究刊登在最新一期《基因與發(fā)育》雜志上,。
英國乳腺癌研究中心負(fù)責(zé)人埃倫·阿什沃斯教授表示，史卡拉孟加基因在乳房發(fā)育早期起到關(guān)鍵作用,，它決定乳房的數(shù)量和生長的位置,。如果史卡拉孟加基因突變，人體就會產(chǎn)生三個(gè)乳頭,，或者出現(xiàn)乳房不對稱的情況,。同時(shí)，scaramanga基因產(chǎn)生一種名為NRG3 的蛋白質(zhì),，該蛋白質(zhì)和乳腺癌有密切聯(lián)系,，正常情況下Neuregulin3（NRG3）蛋白質(zhì)促進(jìn)乳房細(xì)胞生長，一旦NRG3蛋白質(zhì)分泌紊亂,，就會將正常乳房細(xì)胞轉(zhuǎn)化成癌細(xì)胞,，引發(fā)乳腺癌,。
研究人員稱合理利用scaramanga基因，能在實(shí)驗(yàn)室內(nèi)單獨(dú)培養(yǎng)乳房,，這將是乳房研究領(lǐng)域的重大突破,。此前科學(xué)家嘗試用干細(xì)胞技術(shù)培養(yǎng)乳房，但是效果并不理想,，而scaramanga基因天然具有刺激乳房發(fā)育和乳頭生長的作用，如果利用此基因單獨(dú)培養(yǎng)脂肪組織,，預(yù)計(jì)效果將比應(yīng)用干細(xì)胞技術(shù)顯著,。利用史卡拉孟加基因培養(yǎng)乳房，能讓切除乳房的患者再生乳房,，還可以用于豐胸手術(shù),。
原始文獻(xiàn)：
Beatrice Howard, Heena Panchal, Afshan McCarthy, and Alan Ashworth,Identification of the scaramanga gene implicates Neuregulin3 in mammary gland specification Genes Dev. 2005 19: 2078-2090. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] Supplemental Research Data
參考文獻(xiàn)：
Gizatullin RZ, Muravenko OV, Al-Amin AN, Wang F, Protopopov AI, Kashuba VI, Zelenin AV, Zabarovsky ER.Human NRG3 gene Map position 10q22-q23.Chromosome Res. 2000;8(6):560.
有關(guān)NRG3的相關(guān)信息：
NRG3 neuregulin 3
Official Symbol: NRG3 and Name: neuregulin 3 provided by HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee
Gene type: protein coding
Gene name: NRG3
Gene description: neuregulin 3
RefSeq status: Provisional
Organism: Homo sapiens
Lineage: Eukaryota; Metazoa; Chordata; Craniata; Vertebrata; Euteleostomi; Mammalia; Eutheria; Euarchontoglires; Primates; Catarrhini; Hominidae; Homo
Gene aliases: HRG3; pro-NRG3
mRNA Sequence NM_001010848
Product NP_001010848 neuregulin 3
原文報(bào)道：
Scientists discover scaramanga gene's bond with breast cancer
Breakthrough Breast Cancer today announce that UK scientists have discovered that a gene – named after the James Bond villain Scaramanga – can trigger the development of breasts. This has important implications for breast cancer, as reported in the journal Genes and Development.
During the development of an embryo, formation of organs is tightly controlled by specific genes. In the case of breasts, this process controls the development of two breasts in humans but this can go awry, resulting in fewer, extra or misplaced breasts or nipples. However, little has been known about this how this process is governed, until now.
Today scientists at The Breakthrough Toby Robins Breast Cancer Research Centre, at The Institute of Cancer Research, report that a gene called Scaramanga – aptly named after the three-nippled villain from the James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun – is involved in triggering breast development.
"Identifying the Scaramanga gene is a real advance in our understanding of the early steps in breast formation. By learning more about this gene and the protein it produces, it will allow us to determine how normal breast development is initiated and, importantly, examine how this is connected with breast cancer," said Professor Alan Ashworth, Director of The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre.
By studying abnormal breast development in the lab, scientists at The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre identified the Scaramanga gene, which regulates the early stages of breast development, and influences the number and position of breasts. The realisation of the importance of their work came when they discovered that the Scaramanga gene produces a protein called NRG3 and that this provides a signal telling embryonic cells to become breast cells. They also showed that a synthetic form of NRG3 was able to initiate the formation of breast cells, confirming the protein's involvement in this intricate process.
Professor Ashworth continued: "Whilst proteins carefully control the development of breast cells in the embryo, inappropriate signals to breast cells during adulthood by these same molecules may cause breast cancer. We already believe that the protein produced by the Scaramanga gene is linked with breast cancer and the next steps are to study this in more detail."
Like the gene's namesake, Scaramanga, 1 in 18 people have an extra nipple**, which can resemble freckles or moles. This is a normal occurrence and does not mean anything is wrong with the person but it's important that this extra tissue is checked for abnormalities like all breast tissue.
This is just one example of the groundbreaking research, funded by Breakthrough Breast Cancer's generous supporters, taking place at The Breakthrough Toby Robins Breast Cancer Research Centre. The centre, Europe's only facility dedicated to breast cancer research, has been producing pioneering research for just over five years. It is based in the Mary-Jean Mitchell Green Building at The Institute of Cancer Research.
In less than five years, the centre has launched The Breakthrough Generations Study – the largest investigation ever into the causes of breast cancer, involving 100,000 women over 40 years – and has discovered a potential new targeted drug, called a PARP inhibitor, for women with a type of hereditary breast cancer, which is currently in clinical trials.
