Researchers have discovered a new drug that could become a strong weapon in the face of head and neck cancers, and the new drug attacks cancer cells from the inside by destroying the mitochondria, which is the energy factories in the cells.
The study was conducted by researchers from the Holings Cancer Center affiliated with the Mississippi University at South Carolina, the United States, and published the results in the Cancer Research Journal (Cancer Research), on September 1, and was written by the Yurik Alert website.
The research team aims to curb tumor growth in the healing cell cancer in the head and neck, a cancer that develops in the cells lining the head and neck, such as the nose, mouth and throat.
This extremely aggressive type of cancer is considered a resistant for treatment, and a large number of patients who receive treatments currently available are witnessed by the return of cancer, and even when these treatments are effective, they can have side effects as they eliminate non -cancerous and cancerous cells alike, and cause exhausted side effects.
The researchers have developed and tested a new compound called LCL 768 (LCL768), a form of ceramide (a natural molecule present in the cells).
Ceramics are important to perform healthy cell functions, and it has been proven that they stimulate cell death under pressure. The cells of many head and neck cancers suffer from a lack of these beneficial fats, which enhances the aggressive growth of tumors.
The effectiveness of the drug depends on its ability to increase the levels of specific ceramide called “C18-CRAMIDE” within the Metochondria cancerous cells.
Dry energy sources
A process called MITOPHAGY begins when the levels of ceramide C18 rise, and the cells are removed from damaged or unnecessary mitochondria.
The growth of cancer cells is highly dependent on mitochondria, and when they are destroyed, the energy of cancer cells is running out and dies.
“The LCL 768 mainly cuts the supply of cancer cells with energy, once the mitochondria disappears, cells cannot grow or survive,” said Dr. Bassim Agreetman, Assistant Director of Essential Sciences in Holings, who led the study.
The LCL 768 is a major metabolic path in addition to its destruction of mitochondria, and this was done by blocking FUMARATE, which is an important molecule in the cell energy cycle, and without vomars the production of the cancer cells of energy weakens, and the combination of the Ceramid C 18 accumulation and the rudging of the vomars together led to a double attack that led to the death of cancer cells.
“Our results reveal twice the past in these cancer cells, by stimulating the process of devouring the mitochondria and the depletion of the vomarat, the LCL 768 stopped mechanisms for the survival of cancer cells on two fronts, targeting both the mitochondria and the metabolism.”
The LCL 768 team tested in mice models with head and neck cancer and tumors planted in the laboratory made of real patient tissues, and in both cases the drug led to a significant increase in the Seraid C 18 in the mitochondria.
After treatment, cancer cells showed clear signs of self -devotion and white collapse, which led to a slowdown in the growth of the tumor. And in support of this result, the supply of cells with the vomars reflected the inhibitory effects of the LCL 768 almost completely, which led to the growth of tumors quickly.