Adv SCI: researchers describe a mechanism that induces cancer cells to kill themselves

September 26, 2019 / BIOON / - researchers describe a new mechanism to induce cancer cells to self kill by interfering with ion homeostasis A team from the Department of biochemical engineering of the Korean Academy of science and technology has developed a spiral peptide potassium ion carrier that can cause programmed cell death The concentration of ROS was increased by ion carrier, which made endoplasmic reticulum stress to cell death The electrochemical gradients of internal and external environment play an important role in cell growth and metabolism When the ion homeostasis of cells is disturbed, the key function of accelerating apoptosis is inhibited Photo source: although advanced science has been widely used as an ion steady-state interference agent, its cell death mechanism is not clear, and its biological application is limited In the study, published in the journal advanced science, the team proposed an anti-cancer agent based on alpha helitide, which can transport water-soluble potassium ions Cation, hydrophilicity and potassium ion groups are combined at the end of peptide side chain to provide ion transport and hydrophilicity These peptide based carriers decreased the intracellular potassium concentration and increased the intracellular calcium concentration The increase of intracellular calcium concentration produces intracellular reactive oxygen species, causes endoplasmic reticulum stress, and finally leads to apoptosis The researchers used tumor bearing mice to evaluate their antitumor effects and determine the therapeutic effect, even in animal models The results showed that endoplasmic pressure mediated apoptosis had a strong inhibitory effect on tumor growth Dr DAE Yong Lee, the lead author of the study, said: "peptide based ion carriers are more effective than traditional chemotherapy drugs because they induce apoptosis by increasing the level of reactive oxygen species "Professor Kim yeu Chun said he hopes this new mechanism can be widely used as a new chemotherapy strategy The study was funded by the national research foundation Reference materials: daeyong Lee et al A helcal polypeptide ‐ based potassium ionophore industries endoplasmic reticulum stress ‐ mediated apoptosis by permeating ion homestasis, advanced science (2019) Doi: 10.1002/advs.201801995