How Down syndrome works against cancer

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/43950/title/How_Down_syndrome_works_against__cancer

How Down syndrome works against cancer

Down syndrome is a result from an extra chromosome. Researchers of cancer believe that the extra chromosome carries a cancer suppressing gene that reduces the possibility of a person with Down syndrome to acquire cancer. A tumor grows rapidly from a blood vessel by mimicking a process called angiogenesis. The researchers believe the extra chromosome makes extra protein for an anticancer effect, which works against the production of angiogenesis. The chromosome has an Endostatin, which also stops the production of angiogenesis. The article said, “A recent study found that people with Down syndrome are only about one-tenth as likely to get a solid-tumor cancer as are people without the syndrome. “ The researchers have done tests on mice and even on fetal tissues. The results came out that those who were injected with Down syndrome had twice as many protein encoded by RCAN1 than normal tissues. “The RCAN1 protein dampens vessel growth by inhibiting the actions of vascular endothelial growth factor, preventing it from instigating a cascade of vessel-growth orders”, says study coauthor Sandra Ryeom of Harvard Medical School. The RCAN1 could be a factor that helps keep cancer away.

Response:
I’ve never really thought about people with Down syndrome not having cancer. It is really a blessing to them, because they already have a major life problem and wouldn’t be able to understand what is happening to them. It is a big help to researchers to study their proteins and maybe in time find a cure for cancer. Maybe by studying Down syndrome it might help find a cure for Down syndrome itself.