A synthetic molecule has been created by the team of Illinois University, that makes cancer cells to self-destruct. The cancer cell has the resistance allowing them to survive and develop into tumours.
A protein called procaspase-3 contained in all cells gets converted to caspase-3, an executioner enzyme by the body. This transformation does not take place in cancer cells.
A process called apoptosis,under which a molecule PAC-1 let the transformation of cancer cells present in human tumours to self destruct. PAC-1 does least harm to the white blood cells leading no cell suicide.
According to Professor Paul Hergenrother, patients can be selected for treatment on the basis of the amount of proscase-3 present in their tumour cells which can be possible by predicting effectiveness of PAC-1 in advance.
According to Dr. Michael Olson, cancer research UK expert, this would be an exciting new therapeutic strategy for treatment of some cancers. However, the adverse effects of proscase-3 on humans has not discovered till now.