CHENNAI: IIT-Madras researchers and the Technical University of Denmark have discovered how combinations of genetic changes can “switch on” hidden cellular pathways, offering new insights into complex diseases such as cancer, diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders.
Led by Professor Himanshu Sinha, PhD scholar Srijith Sasikumar from IIT-Madras, andDanish scientists, the research shows that certain genes interact in unexpected ways, trigerring dramatic cell behaviour changes.
The study, published in Nature Communications, revealed not just what changes happen in cells, but when and how, giving insight into how diseases progress.
The researchers found that when two specific gene vari ants MKT1(89G) and TAO3(4477C) were both present, they activated a hidden arginine biosynthesis pathway while suppressing other cell functions.
This shift improved the cells’ ability to reproduce, but also created new dependencies like how some diseases create vulnerabilities that could be targeted by drugs.
This could help develop personalised medicine, where treatments are designed as per one’s unique genetic makeup.
