We know there are several ways that lead to cell death. The main 2 ways are through the Extrinsic pathway which uses Receptors located at the skin of the cell called cellular membrane (receptors such as TNF-R1 and FAS) and Intrinsic pathways that use internal proteins (i.e. Caspases) that may destroy or paralyze the breathing and energy producing organs of the cell called mitochondria. The challenge is to control these processes in the cell, know how to trigger them, and to do this only in the cancer cells without affecting the normal cells. We need to know how to tag cancer cells, give that tag to a killing molecule that can attach to the apoptosis receptor. This is just one way to be looking for a cure. The complexity and multitude of metabolic pathways presents a problem, but also opportunities to kill the cancer cell.We are in the wee hours of learning them.Target therapy is in its early hour.
When there is a mistake in the gene during replication, there is a repair mechanism. To allow that repair,
the cell needs to be slowed down in its life cycle. This slowing seems to be the main action of P53. If repair does not occur, P53 leads the cell to cell destruction/apoptosis. That's why most cancers remove or change the P53 to stay alive. Like most Molecules in the cell, the P53 has its own path to destruction. MDM2 seems to be that path to the loss of this so important P53. Scientists are looking at knocking down MDM2 to see if this may restore the P53 function in those conditions where the P53 is not fundamentally altered. We will follow this for you and give an update!
The Cure is achievable we know that for sure, we need just need to become better "cell mechanics"....stay tuned...
2 comments:
Interesting hypothesis, it seems so obvious and then again, still out of our reach
That is exactly the point, we need to test it!
Post a Comment