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Programmed cell death (apoptosis). (Steve Gschmeissner/Science Photo Library) | |||||
Flipping cancer's self-destruct switchResearchers have reversed the function of a cancer-promoting protein by hooking it to another molecule. Normally, the cancer protein BCL6 switches off cell-death genes in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, making the cells immortal. But when BCL6 was attached to a protein called BRD4 — which switches on genes it is close to — the complex activated cell death in the cancer instead. "It's very cool," says pharmaceutical chemist Jason Gestwicki. "It turns something the cancer cell needs to stay alive into something that kills it." The New York Times | 6 min readGo deeper with an analysis by cancer immunologist James Phelan and cancer researcher Louis Staudt in the Nature News & Views article (6 min read) Reference: Nature paper (26 July) | |||||
The activity of the cancer protein BCL6 was reversed by attaching it to the gene-activating protein BRD4 using the bridging molecule transcriptional/epigenetic chemical inducer of proximity (TCIP1). | |||||
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Clicking molecules together like LegoResearchers have used 'click chemistry' to snap together an anti-cancer drug with three molecular components: one that helps to recruit T cells to attack the cancer cell, one that blocks cancer defences and a third that guides the complex to its target. Click chemistry, which won a Nobel prize last year, connects molecules together like Lego, using nitrogen and oxygen atoms as bridges. This bypasses the otherwise difficult reactions that would be required to create complex chemicals. "This area of research has been gaining momentum recently, but there is much untapped potential that is still waiting to be uncovered," write the researchers. Reference: Nature Chemistry paper (24 July) | |||||
Protein's journey inward to promote cancerThe protein GRP78/BiP usually resides in the cell's transportation system (called the endoplasmic reticulum), but researchers have found that it moves inside the nucleus when the cell is under stress. There, it boosts the transcription of cancer-causing proteins. In particular, it increases the expression of the receptor EGFR, which is associated with lung cancer. Blocking GRP78/BiP could be a way to stop the build up of EGFR and thereby halt lung cancer, the researchers concluded. Reference: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences paper (24 July) | |||||
Restoring ovarian function post-chemoImplanting stem cells into the ovaries of mice that have undergone chemotherapy restores their fertility and hormone balance, and a similar treatment could one day be trialled in humans. Mice given chemotherapy had smaller ovaries and fewer follicles, suggesting reduced fertility. Mice treated with stem cells after chemotherapy had developing eggs called oocytes, indicating that their fertility had been restored. Reference: eBioMedicine paper (21 July) | |||||
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US drug shortages a 'self-inflicted wound'At first glance, the shortage of 14 important chemotherapy drugs in the United States seems as if it was caused by mistakes at overseas factories. But, in reality, these shortages are "self-inflicted wounds", caused by the market, says healthcare economist Marta Wosińska. The price of generic drugs is extremely low and has dropped by more than 50% since 2016. Many manufacturers have stopped producing generic chemotherapies owing to low profit margins. The remaining companies often have to cut corners and run at full capacity to make a profit, and any disruptions can send them out of business, further limiting the number of suppliers. The Atlantic | 11 min read (paywall) | |||||
Poor diet drives cancers in young peopleThe increase in the number of cancers in young people in industrialised countries might be due to the abundance of cheap ultra-processed foods, and the lack of affordable, healthy food options, argues public-health specialist Devi Sridhar. Eight of the 14 cancers that are increasing in young people are related to the digestive system. In the United Kingdom, for example, food prices have increased by around 19% in the past year. Fruit and vegetable prices rose by 30% in 2022. "Limiting access to ultra-processed foods is only possible if policies are put in place to subsidise healthier options, especially for low-income families," writes Sridhar. The Guardian | 4 min read | |||||
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Deaths from infection became less common when vaccines, hand-washing, antibiotics and sanitation were widely adopted in many countries in the first half of the twentieth century. The major killers today are cardiovascular disease and cancer. (Nature Reviews Cancer | 22 min read) View a high-resolution version of this image. (A. Jassim et al./Nature Rev. Cancer) | |||||
Quote of the week"The best exercise is something that people will do, and do regularly."You can reduce your cancer risk by 17% by adding less than four minutes of vigorous physical activity to your routine each day, such as an uphill walk or carrying heavy shopping bags, a study of 22,000 people suggests. Weaving even modest exercise into your daily routine has health benefits, says epidemiologist Anne McTiernan. (The Wall Street Journal | 4 min read - paywall) Reference: JAMA Oncology paper (27 July) | |||||
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