Japanese researchers test technology to target cancer cells using carbon monoxide

Researchers at Japan's RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project have developed a new experimental technology to combat cancer, leveraging carbon monoxide produced by some cancer cells to stimulate chemical reactions that generate compounds capable of damaging them, while minimizing impact on healthy cells.

The study, published in the journal "Nature Communications," showed the technology's success in producing anti-cancer materials inside cultured laboratory cells, without detecting their production in non-cancerous cells used for comparison, according to a report published by the scientific website "Science Alert."

Mechanism of Action and Experiments

The technology relies on introducing a compound containing the metal palladium into cells, after encapsulating it with the protein albumin to protect it from substances that might inhibit its activity. When carbon monoxide is present, the compound catalyzes a chemical reaction that produces "phenanthridinone," some of whose derivatives possess properties capable of damaging cancer cells.

Researchers tested the technology on cancer cells cultured from the liver, breast, and lung, and observed the production of the target material inside cancer cells but not in normal cells after 48 hours. They also developed a version that produces a more toxic derivative, and experiments showed damage to liver cancer cells resulting from the formation of this material inside them.

Results and Next Steps

Tests did not detect the production of the toxic compound in the blood, which researchers attribute to the reaction of carbon monoxide present in the blood with hemoglobin. Researchers intend to test the technology on animal models to evaluate its efficacy and safety before studying its potential use in humans.

The results indicate that the technology remains confined to laboratory experiments, but it opens a research pathway to exploit the chemical properties of cancer cells to direct therapeutic materials to them and minimize their impact on healthy tissues.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)