u Christian Tomasetti and Bert Vogelstein, «Variation in Cancer Risk among Tissues Can Be Explained by
the Number of Stem Cell Divisions,» Science, Vol.
Analysis linking
number of stem cell divisions to different cancer risks suggests most cancer cases can't be prevented
«Is there a limit to
the number of stem cell divisions, and does that imply that there's a limit to human life?»
Plotting the total
number of stem cell divisions over a lifetime against the lifetime risk of cancer in 31 different organs revealed a correlation.
Tomasetti and Vogelstein conclude that these differences can be explained by
the number of stem cell divisions.
As
the number of stem cell divisions in a tissue rises, so does the chance of cancer striking that site.
Thus, Tomasetti and Vogelstein reasoned, the tissues that host the greatest
number of stem cell divisions are those most vulnerable to cancer.
(A correlation of 1 means that by knowing the variable on the x-axis — in this case, the lifetime
number of stem cell divisions — one can predict the y - axis value 100 % of the time.)
Not exact matches
Indeed, although
stem cells can divide indefinitely, once they are differentiated, they are locked into a limited life - span, counted down by the
number of divisions they undergo.
By plotting the lifetime incidence
of various cancers against the estimated
number of normal
stem cell divisions in the corresponding tissues over a lifetime, they found a strong correlation extending over five orders
of magnitude.
Although unequal
division occurs among
stem cells — allowing one daughter
cell to remain a
stem cell while the other matures into another
cell type, such as a skin or muscle
cell — the goal
of a normal symmetric
cell division is to generate identical daughter
cells and increase
cell number.
However,
stem cells and some cancer
cells make enough telomerase to keep their telomeres from shortening, effectively stopping the aging clock and allowing a seemingly unlimited
number of cell divisions.
They examined 17 cancer types in 69 countries and found a strong correlation between the
number of stem -
cell divisions and the incidence
of the disease, regardless
of the countries» environment or state
of economic development.
Importantly, this results in an abnormal increase in centrosome
number, a 10-fold reduction in the
numbers of satellite
stem cells undergoing asymmetric
divisions, and a marked decrease in the generation
of myogenin - expressing progenitors.
Instead, most
stem cell divisions produce offspring fated to develop into neurons, reducing the
number of stem cells remaining.
Publishing in Science a group
of researchers studied the relationship between the
number of normal
stem cell divisions and the risk
of 17 cancer types in 69 countries.