Drug reactivates silenced genes
By JOSH SCARALIA | March 27, 2014Researchers at Hopkins have discovered a set of genes that are turned off by cancer cells in their attempt to hide from the immune system. These genes were discovered by treating breast, colorectal and ovarian cancer cell lines with the FDA-approved drug 5-azacitidine. This drug, which reactivates silenced genes, exposed 16 different immune system related pathways that have decreased expression in cancer cells. Such decreased expression allows cancer cells to more easily invade tissues.