Healthy cells have an even balance of apoptosis
promoter proteins and anti-apoptosis promoter proteins. However, damaged cells
usually possess a higher ratio of apoptosis promoting proteins. This allows for
the destruction and degradation of cells that are not functioning properly. Unfortunately,
cancer cells do not work this way. The genetic alterations found in cancer
cells show an increased production in anti-apoptotic proteins. The result is a
damaged cell that is virtually invincible and will continue to divide and
produce more identical cells that are damaged. As stated in the article, there
are six known anti-apoptotic proteins. The main anti-apoptotic proteins found
in cancer are Bcl-1, Bcl-2, and Mcl-1. Currently, cancer treatments include,
chemotherapy, radiation, and immuno-therapy. These treatments promote the toxin
NOXA in cells, specifically cancer cells, and promote apoptosis of the cell. However,
the anti-apoptotic proteins oppose the effects of the toxin and allow the cell
to survive. This is observed in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia who
show resistance to chemotherapy.
Based
on the results of a study conducted at University of California Riverside scientists
should focus on the Bfl-1 protein. This protein is more abundant in humans
particularly. According to Maurizio Pellecchia, this protein is the main protein
in humans and not Mcl-1. Mcl-1 predominates in mice.
This article
is very interesting because if scientists can figure out a way to completely
inhibit the anti-apoptotic proteins in cancer cells it would be a great
treatment. The cancer cells would have no choice but to self-destruct. Furthermore,
the healthy cells would be unaffected by the cancer treatments. Other forms of
cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy and radiation, destroy healthy cells as
well as cancer cells. When cancer cells are targeted, the healthy cells will be
unchanged.
I really enjoyed this article, it inspired me to make a blog about genetic ways cancer develops. It would be miraculous if scientists could stop apoptosis, but what if reversing the process did just as much harm? Think about it, it is very hard to single out a group of cells without this treatment overlapping onto other cells. Scientists would have to keep in mind that such a medicine cannot affect all the cells or else we would have an even bigger problem on our hands. Anyways, great insight!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds almost impossible to target the Bfl-1 protein considering all cells in the body have it. How would any cancer treatment based around this protein be able to identify faulty, mutated cells from common healthy cells? It would be fantastic if there was a therapy to target this, because it would tackle cancer at the root of the problem!
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