Analysis of very early cancer-related methylation abnomalities

Funding Activity

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Funded Activity Summary

The factors that are involved in triggering cancer are still unknown. Increasing evidence however indicates that the DNA in the pre-cancer cell becomes modified leading to altered expression of important genes called tumour suppressor genes. Often the DNA is deleted or mutated but it can also become chemically changed by a process called DNA methylation. We have found that an important tumour suppressor gene called p16 is inactivated and chemically methylated in breast epithelial cells at the stage when the cell changes to a pre-cancer cell. This grant is aimed at finding what triggers the silencing and methylation of the p16 gene in this early pre-cancer stage. We also plan to identify other genes are methylated and undergo inactivation the pre-cancer breast cells. These results will have an impact on understanding the molecular mechanism that makes a breast cell susceptible to cancer and may lead to insights into new prevention and treatment strategies.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2002

End Date: 01-01-2004

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $422,310.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Gene Expression

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

DNA methylation | ageing | ageing disease | breast cancer | breast cancer etiology | cancer susceptibility | chromatin | molecular basis of disease | tumour suppressor gene