Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have introduced a pioneering gene-editing screen capable of swiftly pinpointing cancer mutations, paving the way for developing novel therapies to combat the disease.

In their study, published in Nature Biotechnology, the scientists honed in on p53—a critical tumor suppressor gene found to be mutated in over 50% of all cancer patients. Utilizing a variant of CRISPR genome editing called prime editing, the team scrutinized cells housing more than 1,000 different mutations of p53.

Unlike conventional approaches that involve introducing an artificial version of the mutant gene, this innovative method directly edits the genome itself, according to the researchers, significantly enhancing precision and efficacy.

Moreover, the researchers emphasized the potential of their technique in advancing precision medicine, enabling healthcare professionals to comprehend better how a patients tumor might respond to specific treatments.

The study uncovered that specific p53 mutations exhibit greater deleterious effects than previously anticipated by assessing the survival rates of cells harboring these mutations.

(Source:https://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay?newsID=1175129 )