Scientists from Duke University Medical Center and Johns Hopkins University in the United States claim that they have found the most critical gene mutation in the deadliest malignant glioma, which is of great significance for the diagnosis and treatment of malignant glioma and opens a new window for cancer research. The study was published in the recently published New England Journal of medicine.
The key enzyme in the metabolism of citric acid is isocrate dehydrogenase. Yanhai, associate professor of Pathology Department of Duke University, and his team found that IDH1 and idh2 gene mutations occur not only in the late stage of malignant glioma, but also in the early stage of malignant glioma. Another collaborator, Duke University Preston? Robert? Darrell, director of Tisch brain tumor center? "This result shows that IDH mutation is the most primitive gene mutation in malignant glioma, that is, this gene mutation occurs in every cancerous cell in the cancerous tissue," Bigler said
Moreover, the researchers found that IDH1 and idh2 gene mutations only occur in malignant gliomas, but not in normal tissues and cells of patients. This is one of the key findings of this study, because only in this way can targeted therapy be meaningful and possible.
IDH1 and idh2 can be used to distinguish between basic and secondary glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a subclass of fatal malignant gliomas. Yan Hai explained that the IDH mutation did promote cancer. However, IDH1 and idh2 mutant genes can be used as clinical markers. Due to the different gene expression in different gliomas, patients with various gliomas can be clearly distinguished, which is convenient for doctors to carry out individualized treatment according to different conditions. Moreover, the practical operability of this clinical diagnosis is also very strong. Because IDH mutations are concentrated at the same site, we only need to sequence the DNA fragment where IDH mutation is located, so we can judge various situations of malignant glioma and carry out targeted treatment.
