Work

Liver Cancer Gene Discovery Using Gene Targeting, Sleeping Beauty, and CRISPR/Cas9

Year: 2019

Type: article

Abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a devastating and prevalent cancer with limited treatment options. Technological advances have enabled genetic screens to be employed in HCC model systems to characterize genes regulating tumor initiation and growth. Relative to traditional methods for studying cancer biology, such as candidate gene approaches or expression analysis, genetic screens have several advantages: they are unbiased, with no a priori selection; can directly annotate gene function; and can uncover gene–gene interactions. In HCC, three main types of screens have been conducted and are reviewed here: (1) transposon-based mutagenesis screens, (2) knockdown screens using RNA interference (RNAi) or the CRISPR/Cas9 system, and (3) overexpression screens using CRISPR activation (CRISPRa) or cDNAs. These methods will be valuable in future genetic screens to delineate the mechanisms underlying drug resistance and to identify new treatments for HCC.

Source: Seminars in Liver Disease

DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1678725

Authors: Julia Kieckhaefer, Flavio Maina, Rebecca Wells, Kirk Wangensteen

Institutions: University of Pennsylvania, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Aix-Marseille Université, Institut de Biologie du Développement Marseille

Language: English

Topic: Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment and Prognosis

Subfield: Hepatology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases