每一個人的細胞都擁有23組染色體,由長度大至小以作分類,最長的為第1組,最尾的一組為XY性別染色體,XX染色體為女性,XY染色體為男性。776Please respect copyright.PENANATRkrhJyS4Y
776Please respect copyright.PENANAiJixi6TDEE
大概喺1950左右,一名叫Peter Nowell的科學家認為染色體的變異係造就癌症的主因,所以決定醉心研究癌症病人的染色體變化。776Please respect copyright.PENANAkMZhNhmtcV
最後,他與一名叫David Hungerford發現,某類血癌病人的染色體有著一款非常標誌性的變異。776Please respect copyright.PENANA0I9Ie6Y5BC
776Please respect copyright.PENANAmjZBQBFCDQ
基於他們當時在費城發現到依個現象,所以就決定將嗰條異變染色體命名為費城染色體。(有時候,科學家的想法總是令人難以理解)776Please respect copyright.PENANAC495yurFH5
776Please respect copyright.PENANAIIMaCMzClc
直到1973年,研究染色體的技術開始有所增長,科學家發現費城染色體其實係一條較正常為短小的22染色體,因為基因突變而與第9染色體有所交換。(圖1、2)776Please respect copyright.PENANAqtWvzrH7Y9
776Please respect copyright.PENANAL1jYZY35fO
776Please respect copyright.PENANASWWXijV8yl
776Please respect copyright.PENANA71p1ul7xGu
科學家繼續研究,終於在1990年發現,費城染色體會導致白血球產生一隻名為bcr-abl的異常蛋白質(之所以會如此命名,係因為第9染色體負責製造bcr蛋白質的部份與第22染色體負責製造abl蛋白質的部份合埋在一齊)。776Please respect copyright.PENANAqNDa1Z2NIj
776Please respect copyright.PENANAwuRGZPy6Jr
(圖3)依隻bcr-abl異常蛋白質會導致白血球無止境咁增長,形成醫學上名為CML的疾病(Chronic Myeloid Leukemia,慢性骨髓白血病),為血癌的一種,確診5年後的存活率平均為30%。776Please respect copyright.PENANA1igc6KWBu3
776Please respect copyright.PENANAlhlfvtAl3p
776Please respect copyright.PENANA9RIipN46dN
而在科學家們的努力研究下,他們成功製作出一隻口服藥物Gleevec,能有效黏住及抑制bcr-abl的效果,令白血球數量回復正常水平;776Please respect copyright.PENANAXTi0DCdZnP
有唔少病人可能要終生服用藥物來抑制bcr-abl變異蛋白質,但亦有例子在長年服用後可以斷尾或減低服量。776Please respect copyright.PENANAfh9k4TCmnE
776Please respect copyright.PENANAHpjN4K0qnB
這藥物最終在2001年被美國FDA認可,大幅度將病人確診5年後的存活率由30%升至89%。776Please respect copyright.PENANAdcGkGunIsR
776Please respect copyright.PENANAg7uNWdOicE
CML在病理學上大概可以分成為三個階段,越早發現及醫治的話,藥物的效果便會越有效。776Please respect copyright.PENANAZxGxEGIrWK
而直至現今,科學家已經至少再研發咗兩款對付CML的藥物,若果病人對Gleevec呈抗藥性的話,他們還有至少兩款藥物可以用作治療。776Please respect copyright.PENANAfaB2iCBI5A
776Please respect copyright.PENANANPGvikrepC
776Please respect copyright.PENANA5MPK3AmCCw
由1950年及1973年的染色體變異發現、1990年的機制發現,直至2001年藥物研發及對病人帶正面治療效果,整個過程差不多歷時50年有多。776Please respect copyright.PENANAMXayRcJmik
這隻藥物的誕生和成功,無疑為癌症研究領域上立下一個重要里程碑,亦同時向大眾說明了科學是有能力可以對付癌症的。776Please respect copyright.PENANAAKeb7ZdHS9
arrow_back
科普專欄–薯不揀單
more_vert
-
info_outline Info
-
toc Table of Contents
-
share Share
-
format_color_text Display Settings
-
exposure_plus_1 Recommend
-
Sponsor
-
report_problem Report
-
account_circle Login
Search stories, writers or societies
Continue ReadingClear All
What Others Are ReadingRefresh
X
Never miss what's happening on Penana!
科普專欄–薯不揀單
Author:
薯仔聞茱莉
ISSUE #17
<<深入淺出-費城染色體>>
LIKES 2
READS 772
BOOKMARKS 148
campaign
Request update 0
Sponsor
Login with Facebook
or Sign up/Login to comment or bookmark!
Click to load the next chapter
X
After each update request, the author will receive a notification!
smartphone100 → Request update
X
Sponsor again
Click to login
Login first to show your name as a sponsor.
Thank you for supporting the story! :)
Please Login first.
×
Write down what you like about the story
×
Reading Theme:
Font Size:
Line Spacing:
Paragraph Spacing:
Load the next issue automatically
Reset to default
×
People Who Like This