Authors: Jeong-Ryeol Gong, Chun-Kyung Lee, Hoon-Min Kim, Juhee Kim, Jaeog Jeon, Sunmin Park, Kwang-Hyun Cho | Published December 27, 2024

Scientists at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have found a way to make colon cancer cells behave like healthy cells again. Instead of using treatments like chemotherapy that destroy cancer cells but can also harm healthy ones, the researchers discovered how to “reprogram” cancer cells so they return to a normal state.

They focused on certain molecules in the cells that act like master control switches. These switches are parts of the cell’s genetic network that tell it when to grow, divide, or take on a specific job, almost like a set of instructions for how the cell should behave. In cancer cells, some of these switches get stuck in the “wrong” position, causing the cell to grow out of control. By resetting these switches, the scientists were able to guide the cancer cells back to their normal role.

To figure out which switches to change, the team developed a powerful computer program called BENEIN. This program studies huge amounts of genetic data to map out a cell’s command system and find the most important switches to target. In their colon cancer experiments, they found that turning off three specific switches, called MYB, HDAC2, and FOXA2, caused the malignant cells to change back into healthy ones. This worked not only in lab dishes but also in mouse models.

The researchers believe BENEIN could be useful for other diseases too, since it can study how many different types of cells develop and change. Their work opens the door to treatments that repair cancer cells instead of destroying them, which could lead to gentler, more effective therapies in the future.