Sniper Drug
A local research team found out a way to kill cancer cells with only a small amount of an anticancer drug. The study is expected to greatly contribute to lessening patient suffering by making anticancer treatments more effective and reducing its side effects.
Kim Yoo-sun, a professor at Ajou University School of Medicine, announced on June 1 that her research team discovered a method to activate RIP in a solid form of cancer. RIP3 is a core protein that controls cancer cell-killing necroptosis, but there has been a certain limit, in that the amount decreases radically in a solid form of cancer.
The research team succeeded in recovering the amount of RIP3, which decreases owing to cancer, by injecting a hypomethylating agent called 5-AD to cancer cells. The injection facilitated the expression of RIP3. An anticancer drug was injected afterwards to a group of experimental mice, which led to a drastic decrease in the tumors of the mice. After examining breast cancer patient tissues, it was found that the survival rate of patients with more expressed RIP3 is relatively high.
The medical industry expects that the study will be of help to cancer patients suffering from anticancer treatments. If the study leads to an actual treatment that maximizes the effect with a small amount of an anticancer drug, patients will be able to suffer less. On top of that, cancer treatments will be more effective.
Professor Kim remarked, “The study brought the potential to realize the new cancer-killing program closer,” adding, “By controlling the amount of RIP3, cancer cells will more responsive to anti-cancer drugs. So, our study is expected to greatly contribute to the development of effective cancer treatments.”
The research findings were published online on May 8 by Cell Research, a monthly scientific journal published by the Nature Publishing Group.