CRISPR-powered Cancer Shredding Technique Opens New Possibility for Treating Most Common And Deadly Brain Cancer
Published:02 Jan.2024 Source:Gladstone Institutes
The gene-editing technology CRISPR shows early promise as a therapeutic strategy for the aggressive and difficult-to-treat brain cancer known as primary glioblastoma, according to findings of a new study from Gladstone Institutes. Using a novel technique they've dubbed "cancer shredding," the researchers programmed CRISPR to zero-in on repeating DNA sequences present only in recurrent tumor cells -- and then obliterate those cells by snipping away at them.
Working with cell lines from a patient whose glioblastoma returned after prior treatments, the team used CRISPR to destroy the tumor cells while sparing healthy cells. Using computational methods to analyze whole genomes of cancer cells, the team dove deep into the non-coding DNA to identify repetitive code all of them shared, even if they harbored a different variety of mutations. Then, armed with that data, they were able to guide CRISPR to the mutated cancerous cells and destroy them.
Much work is needed to advance their promising findings into a therapy that's ready to be tested in patients. Among the remaining challenges are determining how CRISPR should be delivered to patients with glioblastoma, and how to ensure no unintended off-target effects.