Methods for cancer cells to destroy themselves

Scientists have invented a special "knife" mechanism that can direct cancer cells to produce anticancer agents.

In the laboratory environment, Johns Hopkins experts say these "breakers" work from deep inside the cell and can activate an active substance that destroys very powerful cancer cells. The ultimate goal of scientists is to create a weapon that can both cause cancer cells to destroy themselves and preserve benign tissue.

Protein breakers will turn cancer cells into tiny factories,
produces anticancer drugs right in the heart of cancer cells. (Photo: Science Daily)

According to Science Daily, this promising cancer treatment has just been published earlier this week in the Journal of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Although the "circuit breaker" has not been tested on humans and still needs a lot of time to "test the fire" , the authors of the project believe they have taken the first step in the right direction.

One of the most painful problems when treating cancer is that the most common radiotherapy methods now also kill or damage healthy cells in the body. However, with the "protein knife" method , doctors will be able to inject patients with "antimicrobial resistance , " an anti-cancer drug. Only when cancer signs are found, does this switch turn resistance into a form of radiation therapy.

"Basically, the breaker will turn cancer cells into a tiny factory, producing antipyretic drugs in the heart of cancer cells," said Whiting Engineering University Professor Marc Ostermeier. on Daily Science . "We hope the new method will kill more cancer cells, while minimizing the left side and side effects of drugs on healthy cells."

This method has been successfully tested on cancer cells
breast in humans in laboratory environment. (Photo: Science Daily)

To demonstrate the effectiveness of the "knife" , the researchers tested them successfully on human breast and colon cancer cells in the laboratory. "This is a completely different tool to attack cancer, but more experiments will have to be done before we can apply it to cancer patients," said Professor James R.Eshleman. Author article on PNAS comment.

Protein breakers are created on the basis of combining two different proteins. A protein responsible for detecting cancer markers, while the rest of the protein will turn the anti-substance "sleeping " ingredient into a substance that kills cancer cells. In order for the knife to work, people must first bring them into the cancer cell. After that, the patient will be given an antagonist.

Regarding the progress of the study, Professor Ostermeier said, the next phase will be animal experiments and is expected to be carried out within the next 12 months.