Manipulating the Survival Parameters of Cancer Cells

Release Date: 01-Aug-2020

Cancer cells depend of large factors that it transports from the other cells. Therefore, targeting some of the parameters essential for the growth of the cell is one of the most important therapeutic targets for the cancer removal. Researchers have been working on this respective regimen for many years and now they have identified that by blocking some essential parameter leading to growth of the cell the cancer cells mechanism can be starved to death.

By targeting the mitochondrial metabolism of the cancer cells, researchers can disable the cancer cells signal for proliferation which will eventually lead to the starvation and finally death of the cancer cells. The area that this particular research focuses is relatively a novel tactic and somehow capable of outsmarting the cancer cells. Xestospongin B (XeB) is considered as a molecular workhorse for this respective project. Xestospongin B (XeB) is isolated from Xestospongin exigua.

It is estimated that this respective molecule has an inhibitory role on inositol triphosphate receptors that ar found on the membrane of smooth endoplasmic reticulum.  By using the molecule derived from Xestospongin exigua, they were able to shorten the supply of Ca²⁺ to mitochondria which is important for the synthesis of energy and all the other metabolic intermmedicates important for the survival of the cell. Ca²⁺ is considered as an important intermediate as it absence directly impacts the bioenergetics process in a negative way.

In addition to energy production, Ca²⁺ also plays an important role in converting nutrients into biomass for the development of tumor growth. It was found that when the molecule XeB was present in the environment of the cancer cells, they became sensitive to the toxicity whereas the healthy cells were not at all affected by the presence of XeB. The overall mechanism led by the presence of XeB in the environment led to more than 70% death of the cancer cells found in breast and prostate. It was noted that the discovery of the pathway or mechanism that could lead to the death of cancer cells is an important cancer therapeutic pathaway as the cancer cells which get resistant to different available cancer treatments can be directly targeted by this particular mechanism. It is estimated that more in-depth information about the same will lead to the development of a novel therapeutics against the cancer cells.