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WILL ISRAELI TECHNOLOGY RENDER SPERM OBSOLETE?--FIND ENZYME IN SPERM COULD HALT CANCER
Jerusalem Post ^ | OCTOBER 18, 2017

Posted on 10/19/2017 8:29:50 AM PDT by SJackson

ISRAELI RESEARCHERS FIND ENZYME IN SPERM COULD HALT METASTATIC CANCER

BY JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH OCTOBER 18, 2017 17:56

Malignancies can be treated more successfully when confined to one organ, but when cancer cells spread into other parts of the body, the battle is much more difficult.

Resesearchers at Bar-Ilan University have identified an enzyme that supports the survival and dissemination of metastatic cancer cells, and developed a synthetic compound that targets it and kills the proliferating cells in mice.

Prof. Uri Nir, of the Faculty of Life Sciences at the university in Ramat Gan, and colleagues have just published their research in the journal Nature Communications.

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Malignancies can be treated more successfully when confined to one organ, but when cancer cells spread into other parts of the body, the battle is much more difficult. Although immunotherapy can be effective in treating the metastatic phase of the disease, it is still applicable to a small number of patients.

When leaving the primary tumor, cancer cells have greater tools to survive in very harsh conditions, such as a shortage of basic nutrients such as glucose. Metastatic cells can safeguard against this metabolic deficiency by reprogramming their energy generation system.

The team found the existence of the enzyme, called FerT, in the energy-generating mitochondria of that cancer cells that they couldn’t find in the mitochondria of normal cells. When they targeted the enzyme in the lab, the malignant cells failed to produce energy and died. The team then began searching for the enzyme elsewhere in the body and detected it in only one specific cell – none other than sperm cells.

Sperm cells are the only cells in the body that exert their functions outside the body. “Like metastatic cells, sperm cells are unique in that they can also generate energy under very harsh conditions. Once they have entered the female birth canal, where there is no blood supply for them, they produce and expend enormous amounts of energy under very extreme or abnormal conditions,” explained Nir. “We found that very aggressive metastatic cancer cells looked for and identified this sperm-specific protein, learned how to produce it and harnessed it to increase the power of their mitochondria and produce energy under very harsh conditions. We have shown that not only do sperm initiate life, but also carry with them the potential to terminate life.”

Using advanced chemical and robotic approaches, the team developed a synthetic compound that can be given orally or by injection to animals or humans. When applied to metastatic cells in culture or mice with metastatic tumor, the compound – called E260 – enters the metastatic cells and then into the mitochondria. It then binds the enzyme FerT, distorts its activity and – not only inhibits its activity, but as a result of the inhibition – causes a complete collapse of the entire mitochondria power station. They hope to pursue Phase 1 clinical trials within 18 months.

Metastatic cells are very capable, noted Nir. When they identify the damage to the mitochondria power station they start to activate a recycling process (called autophagy) aimed at decomposing and rebuilding mitochondria. This recycling process, however, requires a lot of energy and this ongoing energy consumption leads to a severe energy depletion, metabolic crisis and death of the metastatic cells. “We have treated mice with metastatic cancer, and this compound completely cured them with no adverse or toxic affect that we can see. We have also checked several normal cells and they are not affected,” said Nir.

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WILL ISRAELI TECHNOLOGY RENDER SPERM OBSOLETE?

BY JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH OCTOBER 18, 2017 05:57 With artificial sperm same-sex female couples could produce offspring that carry the genetic information of both female partners.

It won’t happen for some time, but males may no longer be needed to produce babies because of technology for creating artificial sperm from somatic cells of women or men.

The possibility of such new fertility options through artificial sperm cells was raised in the latest issue of the free online Rambam Maimonides Medical Journal, produced at Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center.

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In the production of artificial spermatozoa, genetically related sperm cells are developed from cells that are not essentially germ (gamete or sex) cells. The process is performed in the lab rather than in the testes.

With artificial sperm, a single woman could use these spermatozoa to fertilize her own eggs. Same-sex female couples could produce offspring that carry the genetic information of both female partners.

Dr. Valentin Shabataev of the hospital’s urology department and Dr. Raanan Tal of the neuro-urology unit explained in their journal article that azoospermia – the absence of any sperm cells in ejaculated semen – poses a real challenge to the male fertility specialist. While donor sperm, embryo donation and adoption can produce babies for infertile couples when the male lacks sperm, most would-be parents still want genetically related offspring.

In cases of complete absence of sperm cells in the ejaculate, surgical options exist for retrieval of cells from the testicles. While advances in urology, gynecology and fertility lab technologies allow surgical sperm retrieval from azoospermic men for the fertilization of ova in many cases, it does not work for all couples.

“At present, there are extensive research efforts in several directions.

While these new horizons are exciting, there are significant obstacles that must be overcome before such innovative solutions can be offered to azoospermic couples,” the doctors wrote.

“These research efforts will ripen in the foreseeable future, resulting in the ability to create artificial sperm cells and provide such couples with offthe- shelf solutions and fulfilling their desire to parent genetically related healthy babies,” they predicted.

Based on current knowledge and ongoing research, the authors continued, there are several possible future directions to overcoming azoospermia and providing azoospermic men with artificial sperm cells. Those cells would carry a man’s own genetic information and could eventually be used to enable him to have genetically related offspring.

One of the major obstacles in producing artificial gametes in general, and sperm cells in particular, is the haploid nature of sperm cells. That is, cells containing half the number of autosomal chromosomes and only one sex chromosome. Creating haploid cells mandates strict division of the DNA content of precursor diploid cells.

The first and possibly most extensively studied option is the use of stem cells – undifferentiated cells with a differentiation potential that may possibly be directed to form gametes in general, and specifically, artificial sperm cells. Another option is for the cells to undergo cell division to become haploid.

At present, the urologists, concluded, genetically related artificial sperm cannot yet be used in humans to achieve pregnancy and the live birth of genetically related offspring. But as significant steps have been made to manipulate cells, this could eventually become feasible.


TOPICS: Israel; News/Current Events
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1 posted on 10/19/2017 8:29:51 AM PDT by SJackson
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

BDS advocates will boycott.

2 posted on 10/19/2017 8:31:15 AM PDT by SJackson (The Pilgrims—Doing the jobs Native Americans wouldn’t do !)
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To: SJackson

Every sperm is sacred.


3 posted on 10/19/2017 8:31:42 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: SJackson

Now they just have to determine which lebian will be the man to be divorce raped by family court and responsible for child support and alimony.

Oh yeah the lesbians will line up for this.

They won’t like it anyway because all the kids from this will be girls. They love to abuse and torture and murder little boys.


4 posted on 10/19/2017 8:34:03 AM PDT by Secret Agent Man ( Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: dfwgator

I don't avoid women Mandrake,
but I do deny them my essence.


5 posted on 10/19/2017 8:36:34 AM PDT by billorites (freepo ergo sum)
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To: SJackson
In the production of artificial spermatozoa, genetically related sperm cells are developed from cells that are not essentially germ (gamete or sex) cells. The process is performed in the lab rather than in the testes.

With artificial sperm, a single woman could use these spermatozoa to fertilize her own eggs. Same-sex female couples could produce offspring that carry the genetic information of both female partners.

This ain't worth d--k! ":^)

6 posted on 10/19/2017 8:37:06 AM PDT by DoughtyOne (John McBane is the turd in the national punch-bowl.)
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To: SJackson

Bookmark


7 posted on 10/19/2017 8:37:41 AM PDT by DocRock (And now is the time to fight! Peter Muhlenberg)
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To: SJackson

This should stimulate the erection of many new research clinics.

Rub one out for cancer!


8 posted on 10/19/2017 8:38:20 AM PDT by Buckeye Battle Cry (Beer! Because you can't drink bacon!)
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To: SJackson
...explained Nir. “We found that very aggressive metastatic cancer cells looked for and identified this sperm-specific protein, learned how to produce it and harnessed it to increase the power of their mitochondria and produce energy under very harsh conditions.

Huh? Evils cells become conscious, that's the news here!

9 posted on 10/19/2017 8:38:44 AM PDT by dmcnash (Back off! I'm a Scientist.)
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To: billorites

POE


10 posted on 10/19/2017 8:39:24 AM PDT by Vaquero (Don't pick a fight with an old guy. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.)
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To: dfwgator

Let the heathens spill them on the dusty ground....
.....God will make them pay for every sperm that can’ Be found.


11 posted on 10/19/2017 8:41:55 AM PDT by Vaquero (Don't pick a fight with an old guy. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.)
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To: SJackson

Does it prevent facial skin cancer?


12 posted on 10/19/2017 8:43:13 AM PDT by Vaquero (Don't pick a fight with an old guy. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.)
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To: SJackson

Gen 12:2-3; “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

Gen 22:17-18; I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”


13 posted on 10/19/2017 8:44:55 AM PDT by PeteePie (Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people - Proverbs 14:34)
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To: SJackson

I’ve seen this movie before. Once they eliminate the need for men and produce only women for a few generations, they will go searching the universe for males to make snu-snu.


14 posted on 10/19/2017 8:52:16 AM PDT by Mr. K (***THERE IS NO CONSEQUENCE OF REPEALING OBAMACARE THAT IS WORSE THAN OBAMACARE ITSELF***)
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To: Mr. K
"I’ve seen this movie before."

They just made a movie about this, and it was a smash hit.


15 posted on 10/19/2017 8:56:19 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SJackson

And I wasted so much of it.


16 posted on 10/19/2017 8:57:07 AM PDT by brianr10
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To: SJackson

It's already been done...


17 posted on 10/19/2017 8:57:58 AM PDT by Vlad The Inhaler (Libtards wish anarchy and death for others, but not for themselves.)
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To: SJackson; Whenifhow; GregNH; null and void; aragorn; EnigmaticAnomaly; kalee; Kale; White Bear; ...

big ping day - let me know if you want off by freepmail...


18 posted on 10/19/2017 9:10:55 AM PDT by bitt (press takes him literally, but not seriously; his supporters take him seriously, but not literally)
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To: SJackson

I’d always told girls it was a good treatment for acne.


19 posted on 10/19/2017 9:12:17 AM PDT by outofsalt ( If history teaches us anything it's that history rarely teaches us anything)
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To: outofsalt
And it makes great hair gel.


20 posted on 10/19/2017 9:14:30 AM PDT by dfwgator
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