Researchers have just developed a promising strategy to combat melanoma, offering a potential new pathway in cancer treatment. This article explores their innovative approach, poised to change the landscape of oncological therapy.
Molecular Jackhammers Credit: James M. Tour
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These researchers from Rice University in Houston claim to have found a new way of destroying cancer cells by causing certain molecules to vibrate in response to a light stimulus. Their work, which opens up new therapeutic avenues, was published in the journal Nature Chemistry.
Highly effective against human melanoma cells
Table of Contents
In the laboratory, the scientists discovered that the atoms of aminocyanine molecules, a class of synthetic dyes used for medical imaging, can vibrate in unison when stimulated by near-infrared light. This causes the cell membrane of cancer cells to rupture. According to them, the method was “99% effective against laboratory cultures of human melanoma cells” and “half of the mice with melanoma tumors were cancer-free after treatment”.
These “molecular jackhammers”, as the research team calls them, are “more than a million times faster in their mechanical movement than existing molecular motors”, which always rotate in the same direction to pierce the outer membrane of infectious bacteria, cancer cells, and recalcitrant fungi.
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Molecular vibrations to break through the membrane of cancer cells
Another advantage is that “they can be activated with near-infrared light instead of visible light,” explains chemist James Tour, lead author of the research, in a press release. “Near-infrared light can penetrate much deeper into the human body (about 10 cm) than visible light (0.5 cm) and can therefore access organs or bones without damaging tissues,” he points out.
This is a major breakthrough because it’s another explanation of how these molecules can work,” notes researcher Ciceron Ayala-Orozco, who took part in the study. It’s the first time that the vibrations of atoms in unison have been used in this way to excite the entire molecule and actually produce a mechanical action aimed at a specific purpose – in this case, breaking the membrane of cancer cells.”
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Final Thoughts
The introduction of molecular vibration technology could significantly enhance the precision and effectiveness of cancer treatments. For melanoma patients, it offers a potential route to target tumors more directly, reducing the collateral damage to healthy tissues. Its adaptability might also lead to personalized therapies, tailoring treatments to the unique characteristics of different cancer types. As this technology evolves, it holds the promise of transforming cancer care, making treatments more targeted, less invasive, and ultimately more effective.
References
Ayala-Orozco, C., Galvez-Aranda, D., Corona, A. et al. Molecular jackhammers eradicate cancer cells by vibronic-driven action. Nat. Chem. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-023-01383-y
Rice University. (2023, December 19). Molecular jackhammers’ ‘good vibrations’ eradicate cancer cells. EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1029542
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