Translational Research Project

Research at CRBCM

The CRBCM has determined that Breast Cancer Mortality in African American is excessive.  Of the 6000 African American women who will or have died this year, 3000 could have been saved if leaders paid more attention to this cause.
3 reasons  contribute to this excess mortality
1. Poor rates of screening mammograms in these minority population (or low income populations in general).
2. Late stage of disease at diagnosis
3. POOR HISTOLOGY, high rate of triple negative Breast cancer, which can only be managed by adjuvant and palliative chemotherapy.  Increasingly however, new target treatments are being tried. (ie.PARP and Histone De-acetylator inhibitors).

The success of chemotherapy, the only option readily available to African American women with triple negative Breast cancer is 20-40% at best.  We need further options and further investigation is required.
At CRBCM we believe that the potential contribution of Anti-Kinesin could be even more important, particularly when combined to a Taxane-Cisplatin or related Microtubule disrupting drugs.

The human Genome Project has already determined that the Genome of triple negative Breast Cancer is comparable to that of Ovarian Cancer.This fact re-enforces our choice for Taxane-platinum based combination in this disease.
Another thing we know is that cure happens when the cancer cell is killed.  The killing of cells is induced by Caspase release from cellular mitochondria.  Caspases are lytic proteins to the extent of achieving death by global disruption of sensitive pathways.  To our knowledge one of the determinant inhibitor of Caspase release is the presence of high levels of Bcl-2.  Bcl-2 seems to be more effective in mitigating the effect of drugs acting through the Topoisomerase enzyme (etoposide and Adriamycin)

In a cell such as the cancer cell which naturally intend to divide for growth of the cancer, disruption of Microtubule/microfilament, support scaffolding  for movement of chromosomes during cell division, appears a stronger argument bypassing the Bcl-2 protection for the release of caspases.  In fact, the Mitochondria nearby appear to be located there attached to close-by membranes.  Suffice is to say that significant microtubular or Microfilament  disruption  is not compatible with life.  This is why Taxanes (Erubulin and Ixabepilone) are most likely the most powerful drugs in breast cancer.  It is also why we believe that the right Anti-kinesin could add significantly to the effect of Taxane-platinum combination in triple negative Breast cancer.

Study Methology

1 We will use 50 tissue sample of 4 different cancers (Breast, Colon, lung and liver) for a total of 200 tissue samples.
2.Using Bcl-2 kits, we will detect and quantify Bcl-2 per tissue and per nature of tissue origin.  We can then identify which type of tissue has the highest Bcl-2 at cancerous status.
3.we will expose half of each group of tissue to taxal-Cisplatin ex-vivo. and, using standard kits, will detect and quantify Caspases released.
4. we will expose the other half to a triplet with Taxane-Cisplatin and Antikinesin, and detect and measure quantitatively the level of Caspases released by the tissue
5. Consideration of using Antikinesin alone has been discussed, no one would choose this option given the fact that time and again mono-target therapy have failed to achieve better than 30% because of patient genome heterogeneity.
6. We could also test these tissue response to Etoposide to verify Bcl-2 resistance and therefore appreciate the magnitude of Microtubule disruptions through the Taxane based combinations.

Our conclusions (proof of concept) will relate to:

1. Bcl-2 content by nature of the cancerous tissue.  This would predict sensitivity to tested chemotherapy drugs.
2. Verify sensitivity and specificity of Bcl-2 kits
3. Verify sensitivity and specificity of Caspase kits
4.Verify that Taxane-platinum based chemotherapy is better than Etoposide Ex-vivo.
5.Verify that adding Anti-kinesin improves response to therapy
6. By comparing to Etoposide alone by levels of Bcl-2, verify that Taxane based combination do bypass Bcl-2 protection of Mitochondria
7. If differences are corroborated, we can show that response to therapy can be predicted ex-vivo.

It is evident that such a study provide numerous commercial opportunities when it comes to kit development and Antikinesin  product selections.

Let's work with this Peggy! add any ideas and suggestions
we ask our readers to send their comments. The fight is on for the cure...

CRBCM today: Further evidence of 2nd law of nature

Further evidences of 2nd law of nature/CRBCM

If you compromise Cell divison, the cell will need to be destroyed
one thing is for sure.  DNA Breakage and mistakes or mismatches lead to cell cycle arrest (First law).  What is interesting is that the second law is very much linked to this. Once the repair occurs, a number of peri microtubular reactions need to occur to relieve that arrest and allow continuation of the mitosis.  This is the connection to the second law.
Also as we are further looking into this matter, we are finding further evidence that there is an intricate connection between Microtubule and Mitochondria.   Even the location of Mitochondria is not random and seems linked to the integrity of the filamentous connection.  We are learning about Nuage and Mitochondrial Cement.  The further we look, the more we can now ascertain the existence of the 2nd law.
We are also learning, that not all the antikinesin are the same.  Some are not as important, affecting peripheral molecules, but some involve the location of the "consensus sequence", and may be more important.

We also are learning that Cyclin ubiquitination and therefore destruction could be exacerbated by perimicrotubular disturbances.  Is this the mechanism of bypassing BCL-2 resistance?  More light is needed.

We will let you know what we find at CRBCM.

SEARCHING FOR A CANCER CURE

At CRBCM we believe that CPRIT is our necessary path to Victory over Cancer.
We also know we will not get its help this time around, not because we do not deserve the help but frankly because it is distracted.  Science is an objective thing.  It is a race.  You have the right move, the right stuff, you win, no matter where you come from.  It is the Olympics without steroids.

We at CRBCM have understood one thing, in the race for the cure, harnessing the force and laws of nature has an unparalleled advantage.  Forcing a cell to die can be done by telling and convincing it to die. Or blasting it and crossing our fingers and hoping it will die.  Chemotherapy did this mostly the second way but its success was partial.  Chemotherapy only works when it manages to finally talk the language.  Indeed, some chemotherapy manages to reach the syllables of the cellular language of death.

Sorting through the maze of messages, 2 powerful set of syllables come out:

1.  That if it fails to repair broken DNA and therefore does not perform GENE REPAIR, this fact will automatically activate your P53 leading to an automatic stop of the cell into its cycle division.  There is no loophole to this principle unless the P53 is abnormal.   Knowing this is powerful.  Now we understand why Cisplatin (and to some extent Gemcitabine)  is a powerful drug because it disrupts the DNA structure.  We also understand that cells with rapid repair of DNA, will brush it off, literally.

2.with further proof of principle, we believe that there is a second automatic message or syllables.
Destruction of Microfilaments (and therefore secondarily Microtubules in general) during cell division, leads to an automatic release of Caspase from the Mitochondria no matter what (and this is what includes the BCL-2 protection). It is in this law that resides the strength of Taxanes.  Medication that works even in resistant diseases such as Melanoma where Abraxane has a role.  Taxanes' limitations appear to be in the type of microtubules attacked. Medication that attacks Microfilament of the type involved in cell divison, where the Centromere is attached, appears to send a more determinant trigger to Caspase release.  This is where our interest comes in the Anti-kinesin.  We believe and predict that an effective anti-kinesin drug in combination with Taxane and Cisplatin/gemzar based combination, will harness best this law.  They will prove to be effective in cure because they will be effective in both treatment and maintenance settings.  This is also why the combination of Gemzar and Taxol has proven to be the strongest non platinum combination.

Following this principle, we believe now at CRBCM, that target therapy not following the laws of nature will have only 20-30% response rate, meaning effective in only the cells that lack loophole mechanisms.  (this also means because of phenotype heterogeneity, 70-85% of cells have potentially intrinsic loophole to any signal transduction target stimulation or blockage).

Lets keep our eyes on the ball, do not invest in stuff they are throwing at you!  More to come...

Sons of the Sevenless

SONS OF THE SEVENLESS/Hypothesis for cancer Research

As we move forward here at CRBCM, we are increasingy  fond of one line of molecules;
first because of their name, and because we believe that their inhibitors could be the answer to the resistance
to some of the medications already in our armamentarium, namely Avastin,  Imatinib and Herceptin.  We believe that the Sons of The Sevenless which are regulator molecules switching on RAS would break resistance to Tyrosine Kinase resistance.  Sons of the Sevenless, what a name!  But don't you remember they say: "KILL THE SWITCH" AND DARK WILL COME.   THE SWITCH IS THE SONS OF THE SEVENLESS...BASAL CELL CANCER OF THE BREAST, THE CRBCM IS AFTER YOU...SINCE THE SUGGESTION THAT BASAL CELL CANCER OF THE BREAST IS LIKE OVARIAN CANCER BY ITS GENOME.  MARK MY WORD: KILLING THE SONS OF THE SEVENLESS OR KILLING THE SWITCH IS THE KEY TO TREATMENT.

ADDING TAXANE (or better yet an Anti-Kinesin) AFTER KILLING THE SWITCH (SONS OF THE SEVENLESS) WILL TURN ON THE MITOCHONDRIAL CASPASE BY AN INHERENT REFLEX MECHANISM WHICH WILL BYPASS BCL-2.  THAT'S HOW YOU LEAD TO CANCER CURE!

OH BY THE WAY,  ADDING STELAZINE TO AVASTIN MAY JUST DO THE TRICK FOR RECURRENT BRAIN TUMORS TOO. IT IS AN ANTI-CALMODULIN AFTER ALL!

RESEARCH IS ON AT CRBCM.