Molecular switch reverts cancer cells to normal cells

Scientists at KAIST, South Korea, harness a digital twin to help reprogramme cancer cells into healthy-like cells, heralding a new wave of therapy.

From KAIST 03/01/25 (first released 22/12/24)

Schematic diagram of the research results. Credit: KAIST

Despite the development of numerous cancer treatment technologies, the common goal of current cancer therapies is to eliminate cancer cells.

This approach, however, faces fundamental limitations, including cancer cells developing resistance and returning, as well as severe side effects from the destruction of healthy cells.

KAIST (represented by President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced on the 20th of December that a research team led by Professor Kwang-Hyun Cho from the Department of Bio and Brain Engineering has developed a groundbreaking technology that can treat colon cancer by converting cancer cells into a state resembling normal colon cells without killing them, thus avoiding side effects.

The research team focused on the observation that during the oncogenesis process, normal cells regress along their differentiation trajectory.

Building on this insight, they developed a technology to create a digital twin of the gene network associated with the differentiation trajectory of normal cells.

Through simulation analysis, the team systematically identified master molecular switches that induce normal cell differentiation.

When these switches were applied to colon cancer cells, the cancer cells reverted to a normal-like state, a result confirmed through molecular and cellular experiments as well as animal studies.

This research demonstrates that cancer cell reversion can be systematically achieved by analyzing and utilizing the digital twin of the cancer cell gene network, rather than relying on serendipitous discoveries.

The findings hold significant promise for developing reversible cancer therapies that can be applied to various types of cancer.

Professor Kwang-Hyun Cho remarked, “The fact that cancer cells can be converted back to normal cells is an astonishing phenomenon.”

“This study proves that such reversion can be systematically induced.”

He further emphasized, “This research introduces the novel concept of reversible cancer therapy by reverting cancer cells to normal cells.”

“It also develops foundational technology for identifying targets for cancer reversion through the systematic analysis of normal cell differentiation trajectories.”