Navigation Links
Study reveals new metabolic safeguards against tumor cells
Date:8/19/2009

BOSTON, Mass. (August 19, 2009) Cells don't like to be alone. In the early stages of tumor formation, a cell might be pushed out of its normal home environment due to excessive growth. But a cell normally responds to this homeless state by dismantling its nucleus, packing up its DNA, and offering itself to be eaten by immune system cells. Simply put, the homeless cell kills itself. This process, known as apoptosis, typically stops potential cancer cells before they have a chance to proliferate.

Now, researchers from the lab of Harvard Medical School professor of cell biology Joan Brugge have uncovered another mechanism that kills these precancerous, homeless cells. By studying two different types of human breast epithelial cells, the researchers found that when separated from their natural environment, these cells lose their ability to harvest energy from their surroundings. Eventually, they starve.

"We originally thought that in order for cells to survive outside their normal environment, they would simply need to suppress apoptosis," says Brugge, senior author on the paper, which will appear August 19 online in Nature. "But our studies indicate that this activity is not sufficient to prevent the demise of homeless cells. Even if they escape apoptosis, these cells can't transport enough glucose to sustain an energy supply."

Surprisingly, metabolic function is restored if antioxidant activity is increased inside the cells, allowing the cells to use energy pathways that don't rely on glucose.

"It raises the interesting idea that antioxidants, which are typically thought to be protective because they prevent genomic damage, might be allowing these potentially dangerous cells to survive," says first author Zachary Schafer, assistant professor at the University of Notre Dame and a former postdoc in Professor Brugge's lab.

The authors caution against extrapolating too far from their data, which were based on experiment
'/>"/>

Contact: David Cameron
david_cameron@hms.harvard.edu
617-432-0441
Harvard Medical School
Source:Eurekalert

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2 3

Related medicine news :

1. Nonprofit nursing homes provide better care, major study finds
2. Longitudinal study investigates cocaines impact on adolescent development
3. Study finds adverse effects in treatment for primary sclerosing cholangitis
4. Study shows carvedilol is effective in preventing variceal bleeding in cirrhotic patients
5. Profiles International Releases New Study Identifying Key Factors for Strategic Workforce Planning
6. Thomson Reuters Study Finds Impact of Recession Easing on U.S. Hospitals
7. Retirees health-care benefits at risk, study warns
8. Lilly Reports on Outcome of Phase III Study of Arzoxifene
9. New study finds links between video-game playing and health risks in adults
10. Gen-Probe Begins U.S. Clinical Study of APTIMA(R) Trichomonas Vaginalis Assay on the TIGRIS(R) System
11. Study shows how to boost value of Alzheimers-fighting compounds
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:12/15/2009)... Our Lady of Lourdes Health Care Services ... has agreed to pay the United States $7.95 million ... Justice Department announced today. The two hospitals are Our ... and Lourdes Medical Center of Burlington County (LMC) in ... a suit brought by a whistleblower, Tony Kite, in ...
(Date:12/15/2009)... lower strength than needed for protection, CDC says, , , ... doses of H1N1 swine flu vaccine have been recalled ... some potency, federal health officials said Tuesday. , According ... the company,s routine testing of the vaccine for children ... four batches had lower than required potency levels. "This ...
(Date:12/15/2009)... -- 4R Systems, Inc., a leading provider of ... retailers significantly increase profits by optimizing their inventory ... The Vitamin Shoppe has been utilizing the 4R ... DC inventory solutions have helped us drive significant ... the last two years," said Tony Truesdale, President ...
(Date:12/15/2009)... BRAINTREE, Mass., Dec. 15 North American ... +3.9% in November year-over-year, according to the ... life insurance applications over the past three months ... 2009 levels of -1.6%, to flat at November,s ... recovering their interest in the benefits available from ...
(Date:12/15/2009)... has led the fight against malaria, and I am encouraged ... global strategies for ending malaria deaths are working,” said Dr. Daniel ... , ... Washington, D.C. (Vocus) December 15, 2009 -- ... led the fight against malaria, and I am encouraged to see ...
Breaking Medicine News(10 mins):Health News:Parent Company of Two New Jersey Hospitals to Pay U.S. $7.95 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations 2Health News:Large Recall of Children's Swine Flu Vaccine 2Health News:4R's Profit Optimizing Inventory Solutions Helps The Vitamin Shoppe Drive Increased Productivity and Performance 2Health News:4R's Profit Optimizing Inventory Solutions Helps The Vitamin Shoppe Drive Increased Productivity and Performance 3Health News:4R's Profit Optimizing Inventory Solutions Helps The Vitamin Shoppe Drive Increased Productivity and Performance 4Health News:MIB Life Index Reports North American Life Insurance Activity Up 3.9% in November 2Health News:MIB Life Index Reports North American Life Insurance Activity Up 3.9% in November 3Health News:Statement by Dr. Daniel Carucci, Vice President for Global Health for the United Nations Foundation, on Progress Shown in World Malaria Report 2009 2
... India is the largest producer of milk in the world ... being the worst deprived, parliament was informed on Friday.// ... 229 gm per day as against 887.7 gm in Switzerland, ... ,In a written reply, Minister of State for Agriculture ...
... to researchers mornings are the best time for one to ... the Duke University, in the US has analysed the outcomes ... have concluded that mornings are the best time to have ... when performed in the afternoon. They have published their study ...
... the 'morning after pill s should be made available across ... ,It has been reported that though the pill, Levonelle, has ... who wish to use it must have a doctor's prescription. ... be available over the counter, as is the case in ...
... A possible labeling mix-up among about 135 people, whose blood were ... a re-test among 90 people as one of the patient's blood// ... ,The pathology center has conceded that it did not notify ... person may have remained in the community for four months without ...
... a rare condition that affects children as well as ... anakinra could alleviate// symptoms and bring down the inflammation ... the August 10 issue of the New England Journal ... Program of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal ...
... from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have ... proteins in Cystic Fibrosis. Blocking this// system allows some ... herald in new treatments for the disease. ... caused by a defective gene that produces a misshapen ...
Other Medicine News:Health News:Surgeries Performed In The Morning Have Less Post-Op Complications 2Health News:The IPU Want Morning After Pills To Be Made Available Over The Counter 2Health News:NOMID Symptoms Helped By Arthritis Drug 2Health News:NOMID Symptoms Helped By Arthritis Drug 3Health News:Cellular System Causing Destruction Of Faulty Proteins In Cystic Fibrosis Identified 2
(Date:12/15/2009)... Mass., Dec. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ ... today announced that SDMS Vision Publisher(TM) (v.7.1 SR4), ... Scientific Data Management System (SDMS), a secure electronic ... scientific data to a centralized database and is ... has been certified compliant with the SAFE-BioPharma digital ...
(Date:12/15/2009)... At today,s regular meeting of the board ... LZ ), the board declared a regular quarterly dividend ... to holders of record at the close of business ... Corporation ,, The Lubrizol Corporation (NYSE: ... produces and supplies technologies that improve the quality and ...
(Date:12/15/2009)... University Hospital in Belgium, among the first hospitals ... arc therapy, has carried out its first treatment ... Varian Medical Systems ( VAR). A 56-year-old male ... seconds, over four times faster than possible using ... taken more than five minutes using conventional intensity-modulated ...
Breaking Medicine Technology:Waters SDMS Vision Publisher Now Certified Compliant with SAFE-BioPharma Digital Standard 2Waters SDMS Vision Publisher Now Certified Compliant with SAFE-BioPharma Digital Standard 3Waters SDMS Vision Publisher Now Certified Compliant with SAFE-BioPharma Digital Standard 4Waters SDMS Vision Publisher Now Certified Compliant with SAFE-BioPharma Digital Standard 5Waters SDMS Vision Publisher Now Certified Compliant with SAFE-BioPharma Digital Standard 6Lubrizol Declares Dividend 2European Radiotherapy Pioneers Deliver First Varian RapidArc(TM) Treatment for Rectal Carcinoma Patient 2European Radiotherapy Pioneers Deliver First Varian RapidArc(TM) Treatment for Rectal Carcinoma Patient 3Crohn 26apos 3Bs 26amp 3B Colitis Foundation Launches New Web Site to Commence Take Steps Walk Season 3A Walkers Can Take the Step that Counts Using 58787 1Crohn 26apos 3Bs 26amp 3B Colitis Foundation Launches New Web Site to Commence Take Steps Walk Season 3A Walkers Can Take the Step that Counts Using 58787 2Crohn 26apos 3Bs 26amp 3B Colitis Foundation Launches New Web Site to Commence Take Steps Walk Season 3A Walkers Can Take the Step that Counts Using 58787 3ADAs 2009 Gold Medal Award Presentation Set for 150th Annual Session 58784 1ADAs 2009 Gold Medal Award Presentation Set for 150th Annual Session 58784 2JAG Media Holdings Inc Amends Articles of Incorporation 58781 1JAG Media Holdings Inc Amends Articles of Incorporation 58781 2
... Laboratories is a national reference laboratory and ... and development. ARUP offers an extensive test ... tests in clinical and anatomic pathology. Owned ... clients include more than half of the ...
... ARUP Laboratories is a national reference laboratory ... research and development. ARUP offers an extensive ... medical tests in clinical and anatomic pathology. ... Laboratories' clients include more than half of ...
... ARUP Laboratories is a national reference laboratory ... research and development. ARUP offers an extensive ... medical tests in clinical and anatomic pathology. ... Laboratories' clients include more than half of ...
... Laboratories is a national reference laboratory and ... and development. ARUP offers an extensive test ... tests in clinical and anatomic pathology. Owned ... clients include more than half of the ...
Medicine Products: