MECOM - Future and Current Research

Future and Current Research

More in-depth investigations into the biological role of EVI1 in development are required, as well as further characterizing the mode(s) of activation of this gene in cancer cells. Once the knowledge base is more developed, it is likely that screening for specific EVI1 antagonists or inhibitors will become more feasible, and improve the current treatment regimen for patients.

Areas where retroviral integration into the human genome is favored such as EVI1 have very important implications for the development of gene therapy. It was initially thought that delivery of genetic material through a non-replicating virus vector would pose no significant risk, as the likelihood of a random incorporation near a proto-oncogene was minimal. However, it has now been shown that sites such as EVI1 are "highly over-represented" when it comes to vector insertions. With gene therapy gradually becoming a more popular idea, large studies must be conducted to understand the dynamic of why vector integration occurs where it does, and what factors influence the 'non-randomness' of the process.