1. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts. Do so bycomparing and contrasting your gene to that of your classmate’s
gene. Response posts should be a minimum of 50 words and
include a question.
2. Answer all questions asked of you.
Proto-oncogenes are a group of normal genes that have the potential to cause cancer should
they become mutated (Liu, 2022). Since proto-oncogenes play a role in cell division, if they
become mutated, they can cause cells to replicate uncontrollably. Once mutated, they become
known as “oncogenes” (Liu, 2022). Oncogenes affect the regulation of normal growth,
division and the programed cell death called “apoptosis” (Liu, 2022).
The gene I researched is the “TP53” gene. The normal function of TP53 is to provide
instructions for creating a tumor suppressant protein called p53 (Medline Plus, 2020). TP53
has been nicknamed the “guardian of the genome” because of it’s function of stimulating the
other genes necessary to repair damaged DNA cells or (if unable to repair the cells) it will
trigger the controlled death of the cell to prevent the damaged DNA from being replicated
(Medline Plus, 2020). TP53 mutation can be inherited, but it can also be caused by outside
triggers (environmental). When it is inherited, TP53 mutation is known as Li-Fraumeni
syndrome (Medline Plus, 2020).
If I could create a drug that would treat the cancer’s that are caused by a mutated TP53 gene,
It would likely be a mass-cell death drug (similar to chemotherapy) that would target newly
formed or rapidly formed cells. It could damage other non-cancerous cells as well because not
all rapid growing cells are cancer cells (hair, skin cells, etc).
The major genes that when mutated become cancerous are
oncogenes. Oncogenes are mutated genes that cause cells to grow out
of control and can lead to cancer (Lee, S.,2022). Proto-oncogenes are
the normal genes that control cell growth. These two work like and on
and off switch. BRCA gene is a tumor suppressor gene that helps to
prevent cancer, but when they become mutated they can bring the risk
for breast cancer, ovarian cancer in women, and pancreatic cancer in
men. TP53 gene when mutated, can cause cancer to damaged DNA in
the genes. This mutation is common and happen in more than 50% of
cancers. Their are many different kinds of mutations that can cause
cancer, these are just a few examples (Lee, S.,2022).
The gene HER2 is also known as ERBB2 or HER2/neu gene. HER2
stands for human epidural growth factor receptor 2 (Lee, S.,2022). This
type of cancer is found in breast, esophageal, and stomach. The HER2
gene encodes a membrane receptor in the epidermal growth factor
receptor family, that is amplified and overexpressed in
adenocarcinoma (Wen,W et al.,2015). If the HER2 gene is mutated, it
causes an abnormal increase in the amount of HER2 proteins on the
surface of the cells, which leads the cells to go out of control and can
cause cancer. This gene is not hereditary, but can be passed along
after conception. If their were a drug that could target the HER2 gene,
then that drug would target all of the cells that the HER2 holds onto
and eliminate them to try to get rid of the mutated cells. This would
damage cells that aren’t mutated because the drug would just eliminate
all of the HER2 cells. If the drug is targeting the HER2 cells, then the
drug is going to find any cell that contains the HER2 cells whether or
not they are mutated or not.
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