All articles tagged with #cancer therapy
Dartmouth researchers find that the common blood pressure drug telmisartan can markedly enhance the cancer drug olaparib, boosting DNA damage and immune signaling to potentially extend PARP inhibitor benefits to more patients, with two clinical trials already launched in prostate and ovarian cancer.
Researchers uncovered a vulnerability in senescent “zombie” cells that accumulate in tumors and aging tissues: they rely on GPX4 to shield themselves from iron-driven ferroptosis. Blocking GPX4 with covalent inhibitors exposes these iron-loaded cells to ferroptotic death. In a screen of 10,000 compounds, four senolytics stood out, three targeting GPX4, and testing in three mouse cancer models showed reduced tumor size and improved survival, suggesting potential to combine this approach with chemotherapy or immunotherapy. Ongoing work will identify which cancers and patients are most likely to benefit and how this affects anti-tumor immunity.
OSU researchers developed an iron-based metal-organic framework nanomaterial that, inside tumor cells, catalyzes both hydroxyl radical and singlet oxygen production, delivering a dual ROS attack that eradicated breast cancer tumors in mice with no systemic toxicity and sparing healthy tissue; this chemodynamic therapy approach is being tested on other cancers before advancing to human trials.
Researchers at the University of Waterloo are engineering Clostridium sporogenes bacteria to invade oxygen-poor tumor cores and consume nutrients from inside, potentially destroying tumors. They added an oxygen-tolerance gene and use quorum sensing to activate it only after enough bacteria accumulate, limiting safety risks. Next steps combine both features in a single strain and test in preclinical trials, showcasing interdisciplinary synthetic-biology cancer research.
Texas A&M researchers report a chemogenetic system that links CRISPR activity to caffeine, enabling controllable, reversible gene editing and T‑cell activation via a “caffebody,” with safety shutoffs using rapamycin. This approach aims for more precise cancer therapies and other long‑term treatments, pending further preclinical studies.
A Tel Aviv University study reveals that melanoma cells release extracellular vesicles that disable immune cells, providing new insights that could lead to improved treatments for skin cancer.
New research uncovers the molecular mechanisms behind tissue regeneration, identifying DARE and NARE cells that resist death and contribute to healing, with implications for understanding cancer resistance and improving therapies. The study highlights a motor protein that prevents apoptosis in DARE cells and reveals how resistance traits are inherited, potentially explaining tumor recurrence after radiation treatment.
Scientists at TUM discovered that pancreatic tumors form pseudosynapses by exploiting the nervous system, using glutamate to promote tumor growth via NMDA receptors. Blocking these receptors in mice slowed tumor progression, suggesting new therapeutic avenues.,
Targeting FSP1 induces ferroptosis, a form of cell death, in lung cancer models, suggesting FSP1 as a promising therapeutic target for treating lung cancer by promoting tumor cell ferroptosis.
Research suggests that 'junk' DNA, specifically transposable elements, can be reactivated in certain blood cancers, leading to DNA instability that can be targeted with existing drugs like PARP inhibitors, offering new hope for treating drug-resistant cancers.
Scientists have developed a new cancer treatment using LED light and tin-based nanoflakes that effectively kills cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue, offering a safer, more affordable alternative to traditional therapies, with promising results in early studies and plans for further development.
HistoSonics, a startup backed by Thiel Bio and Bezos Expeditions, has developed a sound wave-based tumor treatment technology, currently used for liver tumors and expanding to other areas like breast, prostate, and brain cancer, with a $250 million investment to accelerate growth and international expansion.
MIT and Harvard researchers have developed a new engineered CAR-NK cell therapy that evades immune rejection, potentially enabling off-the-shelf cancer treatments with improved safety and effectiveness, demonstrated successfully in mouse models.
AI is revolutionizing cancer treatment by rapidly designing personalized synthetic proteins that train the immune system to target tumors, significantly speeding up the development process and enhancing safety through virtual screening, with potential to transform oncology within a few years.
A study from the University of Chicago found that zeaxanthin, a plant-derived nutrient known for eye health, can enhance the immune system's ability to fight cancer by boosting T-cell activity, potentially improving the effectiveness of immunotherapies. The research suggests that dietary supplements like zeaxanthin could serve as accessible adjuncts to cancer treatment, though clinical trials are needed to confirm these benefits.