Posted on 8/12/2008, 5:34:52 PM by Schnucki
AUSTRALIAN scientists are hoping to cure leukaemia, asthma and rheumatoid arthritis after their breakthrough discovery of how to stop killer blood cells growing.
The team has unlocked the secrets behind the protein which controls the way the blood cancer cells spread when it is damaged - and have found a way to stop its deadly process.
Work is now starting to design a drug to prevent the damaged proteins operating, effectively stopping the cancer as well as asthma and inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
After spending a decade uncovering the structure of the receptor protein, which sits on the surface of white blood cells, lead researcher Professor Michael Parker, of Melbourne's St Vincent's Institute, said scientists could now build a drug to attach itself to the protein and stop it sending messages into the cells telling them to multiply unchecked.
"If we can stop the signal for the proliferation of uncontrolled growth of the cells then we can stop the leukaemia in its tracks," he said.
Working with molecular biologists at Adelaide's Hanson Institute, the Melbourne scientists used X-ray and synchrotron imaging to build an image of the structure of the protein for the first time, hoping to find a way to block its process.
The GM-CSF hormone - which controls the production of blood cells in the body - works by attaching itself to the receptor proteins, which then send a message into white blood cells telling them to multiply.
When damaged, the protein's messages cause an over-production of cells or cells which persist too long, resulting in diseases such as leukaemia as well as some inflammatory conditions.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.au ...
This is GREAT!
Ping!..........
Finding another of 50,000 cellular proteins does not mean a cure is around the corner. Every cancer is different and changing. Identifying a protein does not = cure.
Sounds very promising!! Identifying a process, receptor, signal, etc. does not always translate into therapeutic results, and certainly not right away, but in this case it sounds like the kind of process that should be interrupted if/when they develop the correct agent to do so. Most encouraging!!
I'm also thinking it could potentially have application to autoimmune diseases (e.g., Type I diabetes).
But of course, the real trick will be in making this treatment specific to the malady being treated, with no side-effects in other, vital blood functions.
I'd say this is a plenty big deal.
If it wasn't for the FDA and the DEA, we'd probably have discovered it here in the US 20 years ago...
Don't forget the American Cancer Society. Very few organizations that large have such a huge vested interest in prolonging the fight against cancer.
Lets start a pool on how long it takes the FDA to approve this. I’ll 12 years 6 months and 3 days.
I hope it leads to cure, but having observed the many similar “break-throughs” over the years, few if any ever lead to any significant treatment. Biotechnology was touted as a cure-all in the early 90s and yet few effective treatments have made it to market. Don’t put too much onus on the FDA; recall they kept thalidomide from being marketed in the US—this drug produced horrible malformations in more than 10,000 kids in Europe who were born without arms and legs.
Ping, read & send to Ann
for later
I understand, also, that a woman with Rheumatoid Arthritis was treated 2 years ago with homopoietic stem cells at Northwestern University (Chicago) with the following jaw-droppingly encouraging results:
"...the woman's morning stiffness disappeared before she was released from the hospital; 9 months following transplantation of stem cells the woman's rheumatoid nodules disappeared; one year after the transplant the woman is said to be free of disease and not taking drugs to suppress her immune system."
It doesn't get much better than that.
So here's my next project: I want that therapy. Say a prayer for me?
I'm flattered at the request. I took a moment to do so before posting this reply.
God bless you! I thank you! My joints thank you!
I couldn't find Parker, M at Cell. I found Parker m at PubMed. Go figure. You may find GM-CSF translated as granulocyte-monocyte colony-stimulating factor in some papers. Granulocytes, macrophages and monocytes are all white blood cells, aka leukocytes or leucocytes, of the myeloid lineage, IIRC. Thanks for the pings and the posts.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.