Targeting Prostate Cancer

An article from Medical News Today entitled 'Nanoparticles For Delivery Of Prostate Cancer Treatment' reveals a new strategy for combating prostate cancer in the making. From the linked article:

"The molecule that Garen and Hu constructed, called an Icon, recognizes the receptor tissue factor (TF) found on cells lining the inner surface of blood vessels in tumors but not in normal tissues. The Icon binds to TF more strongly and specifically than a natural antibody. Because the Icon acts through the blood, it can reach metastatic tumors throughout the body, which is critical for effective cancer therapy."

A molecular tool used to mark cancerous tissue.

"The advantage of nanoparticle vectors is that they do not reproduce, are not immunogenic, and are easier to produce than adenoviral vectors," said Garen. The nanoparticles will have a tag on their outside that binds to the tumor blood vessels. After binding, they are taken up by the cells and unload the gene that codes for the Icon, allowing the cells to produce and secrete the Icon.

"The key is to have an efficient and safe way to deliver a specific and effective therapeutic agent," said Garen. "Having the nanoparticle targeted specifically to tumor blood vessels, and the Icon derived entirely from human components, should enhance the safety and efficacy of the procedure."

The advantageous are many. This looks promising.

Manipulating SPL to Fight Cancer

A Science Daily article entitled 'New Research Identifies Human Enzyme That Could Be Programmed To Kill Cancer Cells' reveals the potential effectiveness of manipulating the activities of biochemicals that play a role in regulating cellular growth and replication. A part of the linked article is reproduced and followed by a comment.

"A new study conducted by scientists at Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI) identifies a specific enzyme that can cause the death of cancer cells. Researchers studied the behavior of an enzyme called sphingosine phosphate lyase (SPL), which can regulate cell growth and death by lowering the levels of a natural, growth-promoting lipid called sphingosine-1-phosphate, or S1P.

The study, led by Julie Saba, M.D., Ph.D. is the first to link the SPL enzyme to cancer, and it appears in the November issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Researchers identified SPL as a key regulator of cancer cells. They discovered that if the cancer cells were stressed by chemotherapy, SPL could be activated or "turned on" to reduce the levels of S1P, which is needed to cause cell death. "The enzyme SPL senses when a cell has sustained damage or is undergoing mutations," said Dr. Saba. "Once the enzyme is aware of these changes it responds by killing the cell. We hope to find new ways to leverage the body's own natural responses to these mutated or damaged cells to target cancer cells."

The article goes on to indicate that SPL is observed to be inactive in colon cancers even though it is active in healthy tissues of the same organism. This suggests not only a treatment but a possible cause of particular cancers. The cause may be directly referenced or may be indicate a secondary effect of an actual cause. Nevertheless, as the article states, SPL enhances the effects of chemotherapy.

Proteinuria

Too many proteins in urine can be an indication of proteinuria. Healthy kidneys block the passage of proteins from the blood to urine through kidney filters known as glomeruli. Glomerulonephritis occurs with inflamation of glomeruli. The cause of the inflamation can be a number of conditions including diabetes, hypertension and infections from both bacterial and viral sources.

Blood tests and ultrasound can be helpful diagnostic tools in locating the cause of kidney problems that lead to proteinuria. This site furnishes further information on the topic.

Treating Periodontitis

An article in Science Daily entitled 'Treatment For Gum Disease Could Also Help The Heart' reports on results of a clinical trial related to treatment for periodontis. Quoting from the linked article:

"Science Daily — Scientists at University College London (UCL) have conducted the first clinical trial to demonstrate that an intensive treatment for periodontitis (gum disease) directly improves the health of blood vessels. This study, conducted in conjunction with Professor Maurizio Tonetti (University of Connecticut, USA), and reported in the latest edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, may have relevance for the prevention of heart attacks and stroke.

Periodontitis is a common inflammatory disease of the gums, affecting up to 40 per cent of the world's adult population. It is a bacterial infection of the tissue that supports the teeth in the mouth. If untreated, it can cause progressive bone loss around the teeth, and eventual tooth loss.

There is already established scientific evidence linking inflammation, the body's natural response to infection or injury, with the arterial changes that underlie stroke and heart attack. However, this is the first clinical trial to demonstrate that relief of inflammation in the mouth, through intensive treatment of periodontitis, results in improved function of the arteries."

The inference being that a natural response to infection or injury can trigger arterial changes that induce heart attacks and strokes. Periodontitis induces inflammatory responses and therefore can have the secondary effect of also increasing the likelihood of strokes and heart attacks.

"The intensive treatment involved removal of plaque through scaling and root planning techniques, as well as extraction of teeth that could not be saved. This initially resulted in some inflammation and dysfunction of the blood vessels and arteries. However, that was short-lived and six months later the treatment led to an improvement in both oral health and arterial function."

Professor John Deanfield, senior author, UCL Institute of Child Health, added: "Previous studies have shown an association between periodontitis and blood vessel dysfunction, heart attack and stroke. However, a clinical trial was required to test whether these links could be causal. This is the first time that a direct link has been made between treatment for gum disease and improved circulatory function, which is relevant to some of the UK's biggest killers: heart attack and stroke."

So by treating periodontitis a patient can enjoy a side benefit of improved circulatory function. And you thought your dentist was just treating a gum and teeth problem.