In ER-positive recurrent breast cancer cells for which endocrine therapy is no longer effective, Eleanor, a non-coding RNA molecule that does not produce proteins, forms a mass structure (Eleanor cloud) that remains in the cell nucleus and activates the ESR1 gene that produces ER. By doing so, the cells are led to proliferation.Genome DNA describes RNA that makes proteins and non-coding RNAs that do not, but in recent years it has become clear that various non-coding RNAs, including Eleanor, are involved in cancer. Groups such as the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Kumamoto University, Kyushu University, and Institute of Physical and Chemical Research have attempted to clarify the role of Eleanor.

　As a result, it was found that the FOXO3 gene used for cell death and the ESR1 gene used for proliferation are close to each other in a form surrounded by Eleanor, and both are activated together.Therefore, when the effects of nucleic acid drugs and resveratrol that inhibit Eleanor were observed, the FOXO3 gene and ESR1 gene were separated due to the disappearance of Eleanor, and the ESR1 gene was no longer used, but the FOXO3 gene remained used, and as a result. Cell death was caused.

　From the above, it was found that in order for recurrent breast cancer to overcome death and continue to grow, Eleanor is used to manipulate the three-dimensional structure of genomic DNA to balance the genes involved in cancer cell growth and death.

　Nucleic acid drugs targeting Eleanor and resveratrol upset the balance between proliferation and death and induce cancer cells to die, indicating their potential as therapeutic agents for recurrent breast cancer.

Paper information:[Nature Communications] The Eleanor ncRNAs activate the topological domain of the ESR1 locus to balance against apoptosis