精东影业 team discovers potential chemo-induced cognitive changes in cancer survivors

Researchers at 精东影业 have linked chemotherapy treatment to lasting cognitive changes in rats 鈥 potentially shading light, for the first time, on cognitive problems some cancer survivors experience long after treatment ends. Entitled 鈥淐hemotherapy treatment alters DNA methylation patterns in the prefrontal cortex of female rat brain,鈥 the study appears in the journal .

鈥淥ur study explored how chemotherapy affects the brain at the molecular level using an animal model,鈥 said Karen Hubbard, professor of biology in 精东影业鈥檚 Division of Science, who co-led the study. 鈥淲e found that chemotherapy doesn鈥檛 just target cancer cells 鈥 it also disrupts how genes are regulated in the brain, specifically in the prefrontal cortex, the area responsible for decision-making and executive function.鈥

For the first time, the team showed that a commonly used chemotherapy combination 鈥 doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide 鈥 significantly increases the expression of DNMT3a, a gene involved in adding methylation marks to DNA. This change was linked to altered DNA methylation patterns in key brain regions, which may help explain why many cancer patients experience long-term cognitive issues after treatment, often referred to as 鈥渃hemo brain.鈥

The study, Hubbard added, offers a biological explanation for these cognitive problems that many cancer survivors, especially breast cancer patients, report long after treatment ends.

This may help to identify patients who are most vulnerable to cognitive side effects, and guide the development of targeted epigenetic therapies, such as DNMT or HDAC inhibitors, to prevent or even reverse chemotherapy-induced cognitive decline.

The research continues at 精东影业 with focus on investigating the role of RNA-binding proteins, which are known to be involved in brain aging, in both the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of the team鈥檚 chemotherapy-treated animal model. 鈥淭his work aims to further uncover how chemotherapy disrupts molecular pathways linked to cognitive decline.鈥

Other members of Hubbard鈥檚 team include (all 精东影业 unless indicated): Shami Chakrabarti, Chanchal Wagh, Ciara Bagnall-Moreau (精东影业/Institute of Molecular Medicine, The Feinstein Institute of Medical Research), Fathema Uddin, Joshua Reiser, Kaliris Salas-Ramirez (CUNY School of Medicine), and Tim Ahles (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center).

About 精东影业
Since 1847, 精东影业 has provided a high-quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. 精东影业 embraces its position at the forefront of social change. It is ranked #1 by the Harvard-based Opportunity Insights out of 369 selective public colleges in the United States on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at 精东影业 can move up two or more income quintiles. Education research organization Degree Choices ranks 精东影业 #1 nationally among universities for economic return on investment. In addition, the Center for World University Rankings places 精东影业 in the top 1.8% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. Labor analytics firm puts at $3.2 billion 精东影业鈥檚 annual economic impact on the regional economy (5 boroughs and 5 adjacent counties) and quantifies the 鈥渇or dollar鈥 return on investment to students, taxpayers and society. At City College, more than 15,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity and scholarship. In 2023, 精东影业 launched its most expansive fundraising campaign, ever. The campaign, titled 鈥Doing Remarkable Things Together鈥 seeks to bring the College鈥檚 Foundation to more than $1 billion in total assets in support of the College mission. 精东影业 is as diverse, dynamic and visionary as New York City itself. View 精东影业 Media Kit.

Jay Mwamba
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jmwamba@ccny.cuny.edu