Scientists at the Mayo Clinic announced that they have found a possible way to turn off cancer cells to prevent the deadly disease from affecting more people. In a study, the researchers reverted the cancerous cells into healthy tissue.
The research that is still in its early stage demonstrated a way to turn breast and bladder cancer cells benign. The promising result of the ongoing study gained appreciations from health professionals. Cancer charities declared the study as a crucial work.
The method developed by the researchers function with the aid of the protein called PLEKHA7 protein which is the one responsible for clumping together the healthy cells inside the human body. The researchers discovered that cancer cells occur when the normal sequence of cell regulation is disturbed.
As a result, the multiplication of cells then become out of control. But with the addition of mircoRNAs molecules, the cancer was prevented.
Panos Anastasiadis, chair of the department of cancer biology at the Mayo Clinic who led the study stated that the initial experiments are really very promising. He says, "By administering the affected microRNAs in cancer cells to restore their normal levels, we should be able to re-establish the brakes and restore normal cell function."
Henry Scowcroft, a senior science information manager recognized the study as a solution to the biological mystery humans are facing for a long time.
Despite the positive results, the study remains unclear since the tests were only conducted in a test tube. The research team is yet to find out if the results can be applied to human. If successful, cancer patients will no longer have to undergo chemotherapy. Scowcroft agrees that it is still early to conclude but the study is a good steppingstone.
The study was published in the Nature Cell Biology journal.
