2006年VOA标准英语-Doctors Find Specific Genes Cause Cancer

By Crystal Park
Washington, D.C.
24 August 2006
 
watch Cancer report

Doctors may be one step closer to uncovering the mystery that surrounds the causes of cancer. A specific class of genes² has been proven to trigger some types of the disease.

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We all know about the major risk factors for cancer -- smoking, fatty foods, exposure to the sun and heredity. 

Dr. Carlo Croce

Now, scientists are closer to discovering what triggers cancer on a cellular³ level.  Carlo Croce is a genetics researcher at Ohio State University. He says, "Now we are able, we and many others, are able to develop novel treatments that might be much more successful."

Croce and his colleges have identified a class of genes called microRNA. They control other genes in our bodies.  Altered microRNA genes had already been found in many types of cancer. So Croce's team purposely altered a single type of microRNA gene¹ in lab mice. The result -- the mice developed leukemia and lymphomas.

"The direct proof is to show that when we reintroduce that overactive, very active microRNA into normal cells, those normal cells become malignant⁴."

Croce says the next step is to find treatments that counter the effects of the altered microRNA. So far, he and his team have come up with a way to shut off the activity of the very active microRNA, thus preventing it from creating cancer cells.

"The new challenge," says the doctor, "and we and many others around the world will try to do that, [is] to develop the treatments based on alterations⁵ in microRNA."

The good news is Croce says the technology to manipulate the activity of microRNA already exists. Besides human leukemias and lymphomas, microRNA genes also have been found in human lung, breast and colon⁶ cancers.

1 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

2 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

3 cellular   

adj.移动的；细胞的，由细胞组成的

参考例句：

• She has a cellular telephone in her car.她的汽车里有一部无线通讯电话机。
• Many people use cellular materials as sensitive elements in hygrometers.很多人用蜂窝状的材料作为测量温度的传感元件。

4 malignant   

adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的

参考例句：

• Alexander got a malignant slander.亚历山大受到恶意的诽谤。
• He started to his feet with a malignant glance at Winston.他爬了起来，不高兴地看了温斯顿一眼。

5 alterations   

n.改动( alteration的名词复数 )；更改；变化；改变

参考例句：

• Any alterations should be written in neatly to the left side. 改动部分应书写清晰，插在正文的左侧。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code. 基因突变是指DNA 密码的改变。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 colon   

n.冒号，结肠，直肠

参考例句：

• Here,too,the colon must be followed by a dash.这里也是一样，应当在冒号后加破折号。
• The colon is the locus of a large concentration of bacteria.结肠是大浓度的细菌所在地。