Genetic errors driving the majority of breast cancers could be caused by a hyperactive enzyme called APOBEC3B, according to researchers at the University of Minnesota.
The finding could lead to new ways to diagnose and treat breast cancer, exploiting the root cause of genetic damage – ‘DNA editing’ by the enzyme – rather than the damage itself. Under normal circumstances, APOBEC enzymes help repair damaged DNA and protect against viruses such as HIV. But the researchers showed in a paper, published in Nature, that one particular form of APOBEC was found in high levels in breast cancer cells. The next step for the researchers is to focus on the connections between high levels of APOBEC3B, age and other genetic risk factors that are known breast cancer markers.
