1) Study of the relationship between alterations of ribosomal
biogenesis and tumorigenesis.
Ribosome biogenesis – the complex and highly coordinated
cellular process leading to the production of ribosomes – is linked
to cell growth and proliferation: an increased cell division must
in fact be sustained by an increased ribosome production and
protein synthesis.
Neoplastic cells, which are characterized by an increased cell
proliferation, are also characterized by the up-regulation of
ribosome biogenesis. Moreover, more recent data have also
demonstrated that a disrupted ribosome biogenesis determines an
altered cell proliferation, producing and increased incidence
of tumor onset.
In the last years many oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes have
been identified, that regulates both ribosome biogenesis and cell
proliferation. The study of the relationship between ribosome
biogenesis, cell proliferation and the effect of such genes is
appears of particular interest for both a best understanding of the
mechanisms producing cancer and the possibility to finding new
therapeutical approaches based on such mechanisms.
