(Press-News.org) Calcium ions are essential for cells, but can be toxic in higher concentrations. A team of researchers has now designed and prepared a combination drug that kills tumor cells by modulating the calcium influx into the cell. An external calcium source is not necessary because only the calcium ions already present in the tumor tissue are used, according to the study published in the journal Angewandte Chemie.
Biological cells need calcium ions, among other things, for the proper functioning of the mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cells. However, if there is too much calcium, the mitochondrial processes become unbalanced and the cell suffocates. A research group led by Juyoung Yoon of Ewha Womens University in Seoul, South Korea, together with teams from China, has now taken advantage of this process and developed a synergistic antitumor drug that can open calcium channels and thus trigger a deadly calcium storm inside the tumor cell.
The researchers targeted two channels, the first one in the outer membrane, and the other was a calcium channel in the endoplasmic reticulum, a cell organelle that also stores calcium ions. The channel located in the outer membrane opens when it is exposed to a large amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS), while the channel in the endoplasmic reticulum is activated by nitric oxide molecules.
To generate the ROS that open the outer membrane calcium channel, the researchers used the dye indocyanine green. This bioactive agent can be activated by irradiation with near-infrared light, which not only triggers reactions that lead to ROS, but it also heats up the environment. The team explains that the high local temperature activates the other active agent, BNN-6, to release nitric oxide molecules that open the channel in the endoplasmic reticulum.
Following successful trials in tumor cell lines, the team tested an injectable formulation in tumor-implanted mice. To create a biocompatible combined drug, the researchers loaded the active ingredients into tiny modified porous silica beads that are not harmful to the body, but can be recognized by tumor cells and transported into the cell. After injecting the beads into the bloodstream of the mice, the researchers observed that the drug accumulated in the tumor. Exposure to near-infrared light successfully triggered the mechanism of action, and the tumor disappeared after a few days in mice that received the preparation.
The authors emphasize that this ion influx approach may also be useful in related biomedical research areas where a similar mechanism could activate ion channels different from calcium in order to find new therapeutic approaches.
(2780 characters)
About the Author
Juyoung Yoon is a Distinguished Professor at the Department of Chemistry and Nano Science at Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea. He is interested in organic functional and fluorescent materials that can be used in photodynamic therapy and theranostics, activatable photosensitizers, fluorescent imaging probes, and photosensors.
END
Destroying tumor cells with calcium
Activating calcium channels leads to a deadly influx of calcium ions into tumor cells
2024-01-29
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
University of Houston expert warns red light myopia therapy can injure retina
2024-01-29
A University of Houston optometry researcher is warning against the use of low-level red light (LLRL) therapy as a method to control myopia, or nearsightedness, especially in children. Over the last few years, LLRL has emerged as a viable myopia treatment after studies reported the treatment as effective and responsible for significant reduction in myopia progression. The company behind one of the devices reports that it is already being used to address myopia in over 100,000 pediatric patients.
But the excitement over its results as a myopia treatment may have come too soon, ahead of its proven safety.
"Based on measurements in our laboratory, ...
Can science beat counterfeit detector pens? (video)
2024-01-29
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2024 — Counterfeit detector pens use a starch-iodine reaction to identify fake bills. But could you fool them with chemistry? In today’s episode, we dive into the chemistry of iodine, its color and its clock reactions, all while making a little extra cash on the side. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDaVCyOBSsY
Reactions is a video series produced by the American Chemical Society and PBS Digital Studios. Subscribe to Reactions at http://bit.ly/ACSReactions and follow us on Twitter @ACSReactions.
The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS’ mission is to advance the broader ...
How did humans learn to walk? New evolutionary study offers an earful
2024-01-29
Humans and our closest relatives, living apes, display a remarkable diversity of types of locomotion—from walking upright on two legs to climbing in trees and walking using all four limbs.
While scientists have long been intrigued by the question of how humans’ bipedal stance and movement evolved from a quadrupedal ancestor, neither past studies nor fossil records have permitted the reconstruction of a clear and definitive history of the early evolutionary stages that led to human bipedalism.
However, a new study, which centers on recently discovered evidence from skulls of a 6-million-year-old fossil ape, Lufengpithecus, ...
Alzheimer’s disease acquired from historic medical treatments
2024-01-29
Five cases of Alzheimer’s disease are believed to have arisen as a result of medical treatments decades earlier, reports a team of UCL and UCLH researchers.
Alzheimer’s disease is caused by the amyloid-beta protein, and is usually a sporadic condition of late adult life, or more rarely an inherited condition that occurs due to a faulty gene. The new Nature Medicine paper provides the first evidence of Alzheimer’s disease in living people that appears to have been medically acquired and due to transmission of the amyloid-beta protein.
The people described in the paper had all been treated as ...
Food insecurity and premature mortality and life expectancy in the us
2024-01-29
About The Study: Although the association of food security and life expectancy varied across sex and racial and ethnic groups, overall, lower levels of food security were associated with a higher risk of premature mortality and a shorter life expectancy in this study of 57,000 adults. The findings of this study highlight the potential importance of improving food security in promoting population health and health equity.
Authors: Lu Qi, M.D., of Tulane University in New Orleans, is the corresponding author.
To access the embargoed ...
Wealth redistribution to extend longevity in the U.S.
2024-01-29
About The Study: The findings of this study of 35,000 adults age 50 or older suggest that wealth inequality in the U.S. is associated with significant inequities in survival. Wealth redistribution policies may substantially reduce those inequities and increase population longevity.
Authors: Kathryn E. W. Himmelstein, M.D., M.S.Ed., of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, is the corresponding author.
To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/
(doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2023.7975)
Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and ...
Efficacy of electronic cigarettes vs varenicline and nicotine chewing gum as an aid to stop smoking
2024-01-29
About The Study: In this randomized clinical trial including 1,068 smokers, electronic cigarettes were as effective as varenicline and more effective than nicotine chewing gum as a stop-smoking aid when all three treatments were provided with minimal behavioral support.
Authors: Zhao Liu, Ph.D., of the China-Japan Friendship Hospital in Beijing, is the corresponding author.
To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/
(doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2023.7846)
Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, ...
High school students who report using alcohol, cannabis or nicotine at higher risk for suicidal thoughts and other mental health disorders
2024-01-29
BOSTON –High school students who reported using cannabis, alcohol, or nicotine were more likely to have thoughts about suicide, feel depressed or anxious, have unusual experiences, and exhibit inattention or hyperactivity, according to recent survey-based study conducted by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the University of Minnesota.
The study, which is published in JAMA Pediatrics, included 2022–2023 survey results from more than 15,000 high school students across Massachusetts.
“We sought to determine ...
New evidence informs risk factors, diagnosis and care of patients with CVT stroke
2024-01-29
Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET Monday, Jan. 29, 2024
DALLAS, January 29, 2024 — A new scientific statement from the American Heart Association emphasizes the need to increase patients’ and physicians’ awareness of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) to improve the recognition of this condition and initiate prompt medical treatment. The new statement, Diagnosis and Management of Cerebral Venous Thrombosis, published today in the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s peer-reviewed journal Stroke. ...
Researchers map genome for cats, dolphins, birds, and dozens of other animals
2024-01-29
Researchers mapped genetic blueprints for 51 species including cats, dolphins, kangaroos, penguins, sharks, and turtles, a discovery that deepens our understanding of evolution and the links between humans and animals.
“Being able to access that genetic information will have huge implications for understanding human health and evolution,” said lead author Michael Schatz, a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of computer science and biology at Johns Hopkins University. “A lot of work ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
New way to find “aged” cells marks fresh approach for research into ageing
From blood sugar to brain relief: GLP-1 therapy slashes migraine frequency
Variability in heart rate during sleep may reveal early signs of stroke, depression or cognitive dysfunction, new study shows
New method to study catalysts could lead to better batteries
Current Molecular Pharmacology impact factor rises to 2.9, achieving Q2 ranking in the Pharmacology & Pharmacy category in 2024 JCR
More time with loved ones for cancer patients spared radiation treatment
New methods speed diagnosis of rare genetic disease
Genetics of cardiomyopathy risk in cancer survivors differ by age of onset
Autism inpatient collection releases genetic, phenotypic data for more than 1,500 children with autism
Targeting fusion protein’s role in childhood leukemia produces striking results
Clear understanding of social connections propels strivers up the social ladder
New research reveals why acute and chronic pain are so different – and what might make pain last
Stable cooling fostered life, rapid warming brought death: scientists use high-resolution fusuline data reveal evolutionary responses to cooling and warming
New research casts doubt on ancient drying of northern Africa’s climate
Study identifies umbilical cord blood biomarkers of early onset sepsis in preterm newborns
AI development: seeking consistency in logical structures
Want better sleep for your tween? Start with their screens
Cancer burden in neighborhoods with greater racial diversity and environmental burden
Alzheimer disease in breast cancer survivors
New method revolutionizes beta-blocker production process
Mechanism behind life-threatening cancer drug side-effect revealed
Weighted vests might help older adults meet weight loss goals, but solution for corresponding bone loss still elusive
Scientists find new way to predict how bowel cancer drugs will stop working – paving the way for smarter treatments
Breast cancer patients’ microbiome may hold key to avoiding damaging heart side-effects of cancer therapies
Exercise-induced protein revives aging muscles and bones
American College of Cardiology issues guidance on weight management drugs
Understanding the effect of bedding on thermal insulation during sleep
Cosmic signal from the very early universe will help astronomers detect the first stars
With AI, researchers find increasing immune evasion in H5N1
Study finds hidden effects of wildfires on water systems
[Press-News.org] Destroying tumor cells with calciumActivating calcium channels leads to a deadly influx of calcium ions into tumor cells