A deadly fungus that goes back to old graves can help to treat blood cancer, researchers have unveiled.
Aspergillus Flavus is a fungus that grows on dead plant tissue in the soil, spreads to grains, legumes and tree notes.
It is also nicknamed the ‘pharaoh’s’ curse after researchers have studied the graves of old kings in recent decades, were suddenly affected by fatal respiratory issues.
It is thought that killing up to 50 percent of those who strikes it, the fungus has ‘eating people from within’ and experts fear that climate change can lead to it spreading.
But researchers in Pennsylvania and Texas have found polar opposite effects. In a newly released study, they found that Aspergillus Flavus produces ringing molecules that they called Asperigimycines.
When tested against human leukemia cells, two of the four aspirantimycines showed powerful cancer-killing effects
But when the researchers improved the Aperigimycines by adding a lipide – a fat molecule – the aspirantimycines leukemia cells treated just as well as cytarabine and daunorubicin, two drugs approved by the FDA that are used for decades to treat the cancer.
They believe that aspertimycines can attack structures that are responsible for cell division, so that healthy cells normally in cancer -like mutating.
The team compared the surprising benefit of the deadly fungus with crucial progress in the treatment of diseases, such as the invention of penicillin.
Aspergillus fungus is a poisonous fungus that kills up to 50 percent of patients. But researchers have discovered that some forms can help treat leukemia
Aspergillus Flavus has been nicknamed the ‘pharaoh’s’ curse after researchers have studied the graves of old kings in recent decades, were suddenly affected by fatal respiratory issues
Dr. Sherry Gao, senior study author and associate professor in chemical and biomolecular engineering and in bio -engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, said: “Fungi gave us penicillin.
“These results show that many more drugs of natural products can still be found.”
The findings come when 60,000 Americans are hit by leukemia every year and around 23,000 die.
Aspergillus Flavus was first put into the spotlight in the 1920s after a team of archaeologists opened the grave of King Tutankhamun in Egypt and suddenly became ill. After their death rumors circulated over a curse.
About 50 years later, in the 1970s, a dozen scientists opened the grave of Casimir IV, who ruled Poland in the last half of the 15th century. A few weeks later, 10 of the researchers died.
Later investigations revealed the presence of Aspergillus Flavus.
It is unclear how many people worldwide are hit by Aspergillus Flavus, but it is believed that it kills up to 50 percent of the patients who infect it by producing traces that attack the liver and lungs, especially in people who are immunocomromized.
In the new study, published on Monday in the magazine Nature Chemical BiologyResearchers who look at Aspergillus Flavus samples discovered that they had molecules with interlocking rings, which had never been described before. They called them aspertimycines.
Even without adjustment, they found two of the four variants of Aperigimycines that they looked at, powerful effects against leukemia cells.
They then added a lipid that is also found in royal honey on another variant of Aperigimycines and found the method killed as many cancer cells as the drugs cytarabine and daunorubicin.
Both medicines are linked to a remission percentage of approximately 50 to 80 percent.
The team also discovered that the Gene SLC46A3 helps molecules such as Aperigimycines to leave lysosomes, small bags that collect materials that come in cells.
Qiuyue Nie, head study author and a post -doctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, said: ‘This gene works as an access gate. It not only helps to help aspiralimycines to get into cells, it can also enable other “cyclical peptides” to do the same. ‘
About 2,000 of these cyclical peptides have been shown to treat diseases such as cancer and lupus, a car -immune disease, but most must be adjusted in one way or another.
“Knowing that lipids can influence how this gene transports chemicals to cells gives us a different tool for the development of medicines,” said Nie.
However, the Asperigimycines had no effect on chest, liver or lung cancer cells, with a zizful they only disrupt cell division for certain types of cancer cells.
Nie warned findings are still early, but mark the start of an ‘unexplored region with enormous potential’. The team will then test Asperigimycines in animals with hope to continue to clinical tasting of people.
Dr. Gao said: ‘Nature has given us this incredible pharmacy.
“It’s up to us to discover his secrets. As engineers, we are pleased to keep exploring, learning from nature and using that knowledge to design better solutions. ‘
#Scientists #transform #fatal #fungus #potential #cancer #healing