Cancer-cell carbon monoxide converted into anticancer-active molecules in cell culture
HealthUnverifiedUpdated:
A research team reported using carbon monoxide (CO) made by cultured human cancer cells as material for synthesizing anticancer-active molecules inside the cells, with far less effect observed in one tested normal-cell line. The results are limited to cell-culture experiments and do not establish a safe or effective treatment in people.
Synthesizing active molecules inside cultured cancer cells
Researchers developed albumin-palladium complexes intended to remain reactive in physiological conditions.
According to the report, after the complexes were introduced into cultured human cancer cells, they reacted with cellular CO and formed phenanthridinone derivatives. A separately designed complex produced an oxynitidine derivative inside MCF7 breast-cancer and HepG2 liver-cancer cells and suppressed their growth in the reported experiments.
The supplied evidence does not provide a directly comparable prior clinical treatment result. It describes the challenge that palladium complexes can lose reactivity under physiological conditions because of molecules including glutathione.
The team reported that albumin-protected palladium complexes converted carbon monoxide produced by cultured human cancer cells into phenanthridinone derivatives, including an oxynitidine derivative with anticancer activity. In tests of MCF7 and HepG2 cancer cells, the complex showed anticancer activity, while the tested TIG3 normal breast-cell line showed little damage.
Growth suppression in cells differs from human therapy
The experiment links a metabolite associated with cancer cells to on-site synthesis of an anticancer-active molecule. It is an early laboratory demonstration rather than evidence of a human therapy.
Sources
- 理化学研究所 研究成果がん細胞が生む一酸化炭素から抗がん剤合成に成功Read source →