Vatican: scientists have discovered the mechanism of multiplication of cancer cells
– (Credits Maiani, Miletti, Nature 04-2021)
Olga Sakun – Vatican City
Scientists have found that the imbalance between the levels of a molecule of cyclin D and a protein called Ambergris-1 accelerates the formation of numerous types of cancer. Currently, there are no drugs that can affect these two elements, but it is possible to interfere with the recovery system of cancer cells, leading them to self-destruction. “In cases where the absence or low level of Ambergris-1 in combination with the accumulation of cyclin D is found in cancer cells, using specific drugs already known in therapy, one can try to suppress the ability of tumor cells to repair genetic material,” Vatican News told Professor Francesco Cecconi, one of the staff of the research center of the Vatican clinic “Bambino Gesu”. The results were confirmed by two other studies conducted in the United States.
Professor Cecconi explained that Ambergris-1 is a molecule that is able to control the viability of other molecules. When Ambergris-1 is mutated or absent in cancer cells – and this happens quite often – the level of cyclin D, on which the rate of cell proliferation depends, increases, and this leads to the rapid development of tumor cells, since their DNA is replicated at a high rate. The role of Ambergris-1 in cell multiplication has been studied for 25 years.
The difference in the levels of cyclin D and Ambergris-1 was noted especially in lung cancers, in sarcomas; currently, melanoma and medulloblastoma are also being studied in this direction. A special role of Ambra-1 in these tumors has been noticed.
Professor Cecconi believes that in the case of a cancer diagnosis, it will be possible to use a test to establish the level of Ambergris-1 and cyclin D, and in cases where a low level of Ambergris-1 and a high level of cyclin are detected, it will be possible to interfere with the discovered mechanism.
Cecconi highlighted the fact that the discovery made by the Bambino Gesu Clinic has been confirmed by two other studies: this demonstrates the reproducibility of the scientific discovery, “from which, unfortunately, COVID-19 research is very far away.”
