Biologists discover super-enhancers that switch on breast cancer genes

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive type of breast cancer with a high fatality rate. Currently, chemotherapy is the major treatment option, but the clinical result is unsatisfactory. A research team led by biologists at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has identified and characterized a set of specific super-enhancers that stimulate the activity of the related critical cancer genes. The research has also discovered that the deletion of certain specific super-enhancers can reduce tumor cell growth. The latest findings may help discover new effective drug targets for TNBC patients to improve their survival chance.