Articles tagged with Cancer Cells
A new study published in Science magazine reveals that vitamin C can selectively kill colorectal cancer cells with certain mutations, such as KRAS and BRAF. The research found that these mutated cells take up oxidized vitamin C through a specific receptor, leading to oxidative stress that inactivates an enzyme required for growth.
Researchers developed bottle-brush nanotags to enhance cellular imaging by containing thousands of fluorophores, overcoming the limit of self-quenching and amplifying signal detection. The design permits the use of different dyes, enabling a wide range of colors for these fluorescent nanotags.
Researchers identify genetic mutations common to blood cancers in patients with unexplained low blood counts and cytopenias. The condition, clonal cytopenias of undetermined significance (CCUS), may represent early stages of subsequent blood cancers.
Researchers at UT Austin developed a nanoscale machine made of DNA that can autonomously walk in any direction, opening doors for cancer detection and therapeutic delivery. The DNA walker, with two legs connected by a torso, moves randomly and avoids re-tracing its steps, demonstrating a new level of complexity.
Researchers at University of Oxford have discovered a new treatment targeting cancer cells with specific SETD2 mutations. The innovative approach uses a drug inhibiting WEE1 protein, exploiting synthetic lethality to selectively kill cancer cells.
Researchers developed computational models to study cancer cells' genome structure, improving understanding of genetic changes. The approach uses statistical methods to reconstruct chaotic genomes and identify structural changes in tumour DNA.
Scientists have discovered a new function of the nuclear membrane: repairing catastrophically broken DNA strands. The membrane fixes heterochromatin breaks, preventing chromosome aberrations and potentially fatal cancer formation. This study may reveal how organisms become more predisposed to cancer as they age.
A study published in Molecular Cell reveals that cells have adaptive mechanisms to maintain perfect timing despite varying starting conditions. This finding has significant implications for understanding how cells avoid errors that promote cancer development and can inform the creation of robust mechanisms for synthetic life.
Autophagy has been shown to work in the cell nucleus, playing a role in guarding against the start of cancer. By degrading unwanted cellular bits and pieces, autophagy helps prevent cancerous growth, but its improper activation during normal aging leads to premature aging and age-related diseases.
Scientists at Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute have discovered that a small shift in environmental factors can change how a cell in the immune system matures. They examined how interleukin-15 influences gene expression patterns in T helper cells, finding that it promotes a different kind of immune response similar to decreased...
Researchers at Penn State have discovered that a molecular motor can stimulate the growth of microtubules in cells, which could lead to new treatments for cancer. The study found that kinesin-5 molecules pause at the end of microtubules and generate pushing forces, allowing them to grow the microtubes.
Washington State University researchers have developed a unique protein cage to deliver chemotherapy directly to cancer cells, showing promising results in killing over 70% of lung cancer cells. The system selectively targets cancer cells without attacking healthy cells, potentially reducing side effects.
Scientists have created a highly specific chemical probe that switches off two important proteins implicated in cancer cell proliferation. The probe, CCT251545, selectively binds to CDK8 and CDK19, blocking the WNT signalling pathway and providing new insights into their role in driving cancer growth.
Scientists at MIT have found a mechanism by which cancer cells develop resistance to chemotherapy drugs. The MK2 pathway takes over when p53 is disabled, allowing cells to continue dividing even with extensive DNA damage. Measuring the levels of specific RNAs could help predict patients' response to chemotherapy.
Researchers discovered that lung cancer cells switch to using amino acid glutamine when glucose is scarce, allowing them to continue growing under starvation conditions. Blocking this enzyme PEPCK could slow tumor growth in mice, suggesting a promising new approach to treating non-small cell lung cancer.
Researchers at Emory University's Winship Cancer Institute have discovered a potential anticancer drug in orange lichens, called parietin. The pigment kills human leukemia cells and inhibits the growth of cancer cell lines, including lung and head and neck tumors.
Researchers discovered that intracellular receptor signalling sustains cancer cells detached from surrounding tissue. Preventing this signalling reduces the ability of cancer cells to survive and spread. This breakthrough opens a new perspective on integrin receptors' activity in cancer.
The Blue Brain Project digitally reconstructs a slice of juvenile rat brain containing over 31,000 neurons and 55 layers, enabling researchers to simulate neural activity and circuit-level behaviors
A team of researchers from Oxford University has identified a protein called PAT4 that tumours use to detect food supplies. Targeting this protein may restrict cancerous cells' ability to grow and improve survival rates.
Researchers have discovered a new molecular marker for killer cells, allowing for the prediction of infection course. The marker, CX3CR1 receptor, is associated with chronic infections, where immune system effectiveness is compromised.
Researchers discovered a method to reprogram fibroblasts, healthy tissue around tumors, to trap and contain cancer cells. This approach reduces the movement of cancer cells away from the tumor, showing promise in preventing tumor spread. The study has potential for various cancer types and could lead to better ways to control the disease.
The BGU project Boomerang is a modular system that recognizes cancer cells at a high level of specificity and can cause disruption of genes essential for cancer survival or activate suicide genes. It has many applications in personalized medicine, paving the way to change the approach to cancer treatments.
A new study by the University of Copenhagen and Cancer Research UK shows that targeting fibroblasts can block cancer cell movement, trapping them in healthy tissue. The research uses a drug that targets PHD2, an inhibitor currently in clinical trials for anaemia.
Researchers at Harvard University have discovered a molecule that can halt the growth of cancerous AML cells without harming healthy cells. The molecule, cortistatin A, works by inhibiting two specific kinases that play a key role in the growth of AML cells.
The CheckMate 057 trial shows that nivolumab improves overall and 12-month survival rates compared to docetaxel in non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer patients. Nivolumab also demonstrated better patient-reported outcomes, including quality of life and slower disease deterioration.
A new methodology allows for the tracking of DNA methylation patterns in individual cells over time, providing insights into gene expression and cell identity. This breakthrough could aid in cancer treatment and other diseases by identifying specific genes to activate or silence.
Researchers have identified GATA4 as a key transcription factor that activates cellular senescence. This process is characterized by a pro-inflammatory response and the production of secreted inflammatory cytokines. The study reveals that GATA4 is normally suppressed by autophagy, but its accumulation promotes senescence.
A new metal-based compound, Compound 5, has been developed to destroy kidney cancer cells while leaving normal cells unharmed. The compound, which incorporates both titanium and gold, has shown excellent promise in pre-clinical models, outperforming the FDA-approved drug Cisplatin.
A modular system of proteins can detect a specific DNA sequence in a cell and trigger a response, such as cell death. The system can be customized to detect any DNA sequence and trigger a desired response, including killing cancer cells or cells infected with a virus.
A Stanford team re-engineered a virus to create a smart particle that can deliver therapeutic payloads to specific cells. By adding molecular tags, the particles can target diseased areas while leaving healthy tissue alone.
Researchers have identified a key role for the WWOX gene in suppressing cancer development. Lower levels of WWOX are associated with more aggressive and treatment-resistant cancers. The study suggests that targeting the enzyme activity of WWOX could influence cancer cell properties.
UAB researchers discovered a triple mechanism that stops chromosome separation in response to DNA injuries, preventing cancerous transformation. The three control pathways, mediated by genes Wee1, Pds1/securina and Rad53/Chk2, must be eliminated simultaneously for damaged chromosomes to be segregated.
Researchers found that Myc oncogene disrupts circadian rhythm and metabolism in cancer cells by promoting REV-ERBα activity, leading to poor clinical outcomes. Inhibiting REV-ERBα may partially rescue disrupted circadian oscillations and improve treatment effectiveness.
A research team at Northwestern University has developed a computational algorithm that leverages cells' noisy nature to control the networks governing cellular behavior. By controlling a smaller network of state transitions, they can promote cellular health and prevent disease.
Cancer Research UK scientists found that some cancer cells can survive gene damage caused by HDAC inhibitor drugs, triggering a 'survival' response. This mechanism rebalances tags and maintains normal gene activity, making it harder for the drug to kill cancer cells.
Scientists have identified a FOXC1 gene that causes more aggressive cancer in AML patients. When switched on in blood cell tissue, it stunts the development of blood cells and stops them maturing into normal specialized blood cells, leading to faster cancer growth.
Cancer patients who receive chemotherapy treatment for a sustained period have heightened levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which correlates with drug resistance. The study proposes a measure of relative ROS levels under normal conditions to help determine if patients are becoming resistant to cancer drugs.
Researchers discovered how capsaicin interacts with cell membranes, finding that it lodges near the surface and can cause membranes to come apart. This insight may lead to novel tools against cancer or other conditions. The study appeared in ACS' The Journal of Physical Chemistry B.
A new method of harvesting and growing lung stem cells has been developed by researchers at NC State University, which could provide an effective treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The study used a multicellular spheroid environment to enrich adult lung stem cells, which showed promise in mice trials with reduced inflam...
Researchers at Imperial College London have created a fluorescent molecule that can reveal the presence of quadruplexes in living cells. This breakthrough could be a game changer to accelerate research into these DNA structures and identify new compounds that can bind to them, potentially leading to new cancer treatments.
A team of researchers has identified a new role for the RAB35 protein in cancer development, finding that it stimulates key growth-control pathways and can transform normal cells into cancerous ones. The study suggests that dysregulated membrane trafficking may play an important role in oncogenesis.
Researchers discover that altering protein recycling complexes in human cells enables cancer cells to resist treatment with proteasome inhibitors, a class of drugs used to kill cancer cells. The discovery highlights the potential for targeting this resistant state to develop new cancer treatments.
A clinical trial of a personalized cell therapy, CTL019, achieved an overall response rate of 57% and complete remissions in eight out of 14 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The therapy, developed by Penn researchers, involves reprogramming patients' own T cells to hunt and kill cancer cells.
Researchers found that Brazilian wasp venom's MP1 toxin selectively kills cancer cells by interacting with abnormally distributed lipids on their surface. The peptide creates gaping holes, allowing critical molecules to escape and potentially leading to new anticancer drug development.
Researchers find that using a monoclonal antibody to block the 'eat me' signal on malignant cells triggers a more potent immune response in dendritic cells, which then activate killer T cells and boost adaptive immunity. The study suggests a new approach for developing an effective cancer immunotherapy.
Cancer cells can be made vulnerable to autophagy shutdown by combining an FLT3 inhibitor with an autophagy blocker. This combination prevents cancer cells from metabolizing glucose and mobilizing stored nutrients, leading to cell death. The study provides evidence that this approach could be a new way to treat various types of cancer.
Scientists have created a nanoscale vehicle made of DNA to shuttle the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool into cells. This 'nanoclew' ensures precise control over the dosage of editing, reducing unintended edits. The researchers successfully tested the system in cancer cell cultures and tumors in mice, achieving promising results.
Researchers at the Salk Institute have identified a critical difference in how cells respond to DNA breaks versus viral infections. The discovery reveals that cells can selectively neutralize viral DNA without triggering a global response, which could lead to the development of new cancer-selective viral therapies.
Researchers at Florida State University have identified a protein called Treslin that shows promise in stopping the unregulated division of cancer cells. Treslin stimulates the activation of helicase, a key enzyme involved in DNA replication, and assembles it for cell division.
Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center have identified a new electrical mechanism that controls molecular switches regulating cell growth. The study focuses on K-Ras mutations found in 20% of human cancers, which can lead to uncontrolled cell division and cancer.
Scientists at Emory University School of Medicine found that alpha lipoic acid can stimulate telomerase, the enzyme that lengthens telomeres, with positive effects in a mouse model of atherosclerosis. The discovery highlights a potential avenue for treating chronic diseases.
Researchers in China have developed tiny nanocrystals that can specifically target and identify cancer cells, potentially leading to earlier diagnosis and treatment. The nanocrystals, made from heavy metals lanthanum and europium, can be used as 'staining' agents to highlight diseased cells under a microscope.
Researchers found that tubulin assembly involves a single machine comprising the largest four genes, which powers the process using chemical energy and assembles microtubules that play critical roles in cell structure and division. Understanding this system may provide new strategies for controlling microtubules in cancer cells.
Researchers at VIB and KU Leuven found that inhibiting PHD1 prevents p53 activation, leading to improved response to chemotherapy in colorectal cancer cells. This discovery offers new therapeutic potential for increasing sensitivity to chemotherapeutic treatments.
Researchers found that ribosomes can translate the 'untranslated region' of mRNA, producing small proteins whose functions are unknown. This discovery opens up new questions about cancer cell growth and how cells respond to stress.
Researchers at Oregon State University have made a significant advance in photodynamic therapy to combat ovarian cancer, achieving complete cancer cell elimination with no regrowth of tumors. The new approach combines existing techniques with compounds that make cancer cells vulnerable to reactive oxygen species, reducing natural defen...
Researchers found that malaria infections cause widespread DNA damage in B lymphocytes, increasing the risk of blood cancers. Chronic inflammation from malaria promotes genomic instability, leading to mutations and cancerous changes.
A phase 1 trial demonstrates the safety and effectiveness of resiquimod gel in treating early-stage cutaneous T cell lymphoma, causing regression of both treated and untreated tumor lesions. The treatment also enhances immune response, leading to healing of even untreated lesions.
Researchers have discovered that protein Hsp90 triggers cancer cell metabolism, providing a potential therapeutic target. The modified protein is toxic to cells in neurodegenerative disorders but acts as a pro-survival agent in tumor cells.
Researchers have developed a yeast model to investigate a gene mutation that causes massive DNA damage and allows cells to continue dividing. The study reveals how cells ignore genetic damage and form micronuclei, which are commonly found in cancer cells.