GARLIC, BROCCOLI BOOST FIGHT AGAINST CANCER
Cancer types such as
melanoma, prostate cancer and certain types of leukemia weaken the body by
over-activating the natural immune system. Researchers from the University of
Copenhagen have now demonstrated that selenium -- naturally found in, e.g.,
garlic and broccoli -- slows down the immune over-response. In the long term,
this may improve cancer treatment. The findings have been published in the Journal of
Biological Chemistry.
The immune system is
designed to remove things not normally found in the body. Cells undergoing
change, e.g. precursors of cancer cells, are therefore normally recognised and
removed by the immune system. Unfortunately, the different cancer cells contain
mechanisms that block the immune system's ability to recognise them, allowing
them to freely continue cancer development.
Certain cancer cells
overexpress immunostimulatory molecules in liquid form. Such over-stimulation
has a negative impact on the immune system:
"You can say that
the stimulating molecules over-activate the immune system and cause it to
collapse, and we are, of course, interested in blocking this mechanism. We have
now shown that certain selenium compounds, which are naturally found in, e.g.,
garlic and broccoli, effectively block the special immunostimulatory molecule
that plays a serious role for aggressive cancers such as melanoma, prostate
cancer and certain types of leukemia," says Professor Søren Skov,
Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, University of Copenhagen.
Dissolved molecules
In this study, the
researchers are focusing on the so-called NGK2D ligands. There are eight
variants, of which one in particular has caught the researchers' attention,
because it assumes liquid form. It is precisely the molecular dissolution that
causes serious problems, once the cancer is raging. The entire bloodstream is,
so to speak, infected, and the molecule is therefore used as a marker of
serious illness:
"Molecules are
found both on the surface of the cancer cells and dissolved in the blood of the
affected person. We are now able to show that selenium compounds appear to have
a very beneficial effect when it comes to neutralising the special variant of
the NGK2D ligand -- both in soluble form and when the molecule is placed on the
cell surface," says Professor Søren Skov.
Better drugs in future
The researchers are
constantly learning more about the disease mechanisms causing aggressive
cancers in the skin, blood and reproductive organs:
"The overexpression
seen in cancers such as melanoma, prostate cancer and certain types of leukemia
significantly impairs the immune system. If we can find ways to slow down the
over-stimulation, we are on the right track. The new results are yet another
small step towards better cancer drugs with fewer adverse effects," says
Søren Skov.
Comments
Post a Comment