Cancer treatment is getting a high-tech upgrade. Scientists are exploring a unique way to fight cancer cells using tiny magnetic particles. These particles, called magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), are designed to target and kill cancer cells through a process called ferroptosis. Ferroptosis is a special kind of cell death that happens when cells can't handle too much i...
Radiotherapy, a common cancer treatment, often struggles to effectively kill tumor cells. Researchers have discovered a unique way to enhance this therapy using a clever combination of bacteria and a metal called selenium. They've created tiny particles, called BL@SeNPs, which are made by coating the probiotic bacterium Bifidobacterium longum (BL) with selenium nanop...
You might have heard of ginsenoside Rh2, a compound with amazing health benefits. It can help fight certain cancers, reduce inflammation, and even tackle diabetes. But how do we make more of this wonder substance? Scientists have been looking into an enzyme called UGT51 from yeast, which plays a key role in making ginsenoside Rh2. The problem? This enzyme isn't very ...
Copper, a vital trace element in our bodies, plays a key role in energy production and cell repairs. But when copper levels aren't balanced, it can wreak havoc. It triggers oxidative stress and disrupts the energy factories in our cells, leading to severe damage and even cell death. Scientists recently named this type of cell death "Cuproptosis. " It occurs when copp...
Tumors are tricky because they don't all look the same. This makes it tough to hit them with the right medicine. But scientists have found a clever way to use inflammation to guide special cells called neutrophils, which carry drugs, right to the tumor site. They do this by causing a tiny, controlled inflammation in the tumor using something called lipopolysaccharide...
Imagine trying to fight a bad guy (like cancer) but not having enough soldiers (immune cells) to help. That’s where interferon gamma (IFNγ) comes in. This tiny protein wakes up immune cells so they can fight invaders or even cancer cells. Scientists wanted to make a super vaccine for colon cancer, so they played with some cellular genetics. They took CT26 colon canc...
Breast cancer is a tough enemy, and scientists are always looking for new ways to fight it. One important target is a protein called TGFβ RII. This protein helps cancer cells grow and spread. But finding a drug that can block this protein without causing nasty side effects is like finding a needle in a haystack. Researchers used clever computer tricks and special si...
Cancer treatment is getting smarter by using several methods at once. One exciting tool is graphene-based nanomaterials (GBNs). These tiny powerhouses can do three amazing things: deliver drugs, fix faulty genes, and cook cancer cells with heat. That's multitasking at its best! Graphene, graphene oxide (GO), and tiny graphene dots (GQDs) are like superheroes with ma...
MicroRNAs, or miRNAs, are tiny molecules that can greatly influence how cancer cells grow. Out of all these miRNAs, miR-20b is particularly interesting because it's often out of balance in lung cancer. Scientists used a special computer program to search for small molecules that could tame miR-20b. Out of many options, Methotrexate (MTX), a known drug, stood out. MT...
Scientists have found a clever way to turn a natural compound into a tool for fighting cancer. This compound, called Oridonin, can help in the design of new drugs called PROTACs. PROTACs are like tiny agents that can hunt and destroy specific proteins in cancer cells. So, what makes Oridonin special? It can act as a bridge between two proteins, MDM2 and Nucleolin, w...