Cancer cells have a notorious ability to multiply rapidly and spread easily throughout the body. One of the reasons they are so successful is their ability to undergo a process called epithelial-to-mesenchymal plasticity, which makes them resistant to elimination by anticancer therapies. In an effort to find new ways to combat this resistance, researchers have been searching for newer anticancer agents that can target these “rogue” cancer cells.

A team of scientists led by Dr. Hideyuki Saya, Director of the Oncology Innovation Center at Fujita Health University in Japan, has made a groundbreaking discovery about the potential of benzaldehyde to halt therapy-resistant pancreatic cancer. This sweet-smelling molecule is responsible for the aroma of almonds, apricots, and figs, but it also has potent anticancer properties.

The researchers were driven by a desire to uncover the mechanism behind benzaldehyde’s anticancer effects, particularly after learning that one of their colleagues had demonstrated its potential back in the 1980s. The first author of the study, Dr. Jun Saito, was motivated by her parents’ pioneering work on benzaldehyde and its derivatives.

The team conducted extensive research using a mouse model grafted with growing pancreatic cancer cells. They found that benzaldehyde inhibited the growth of these cancer cells, even when they had become resistant to radiation therapy and treatment with osimertinib, an agent blocking tyrosine kinases in growth factor signaling.

Their findings revealed that benzaldehyde exerts its anticancer effects by preventing interactions between a key signaling protein called 14-3-3ζ and histone H3. This interaction is crucial for cancer cell survival and treatment resistance. By blocking this interaction, benzaldehyde reduced the expression of genes related to epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity.

The study also showed that benzaldehyde synergized with radiation therapy to eliminate previously resistant cancer cells. Furthermore, a derivative of benzaldehyde was found to inhibit the growth of pancreatic tumors and suppress epithelial-to-mesenchymal plasticity, preventing metastasis.

Dr. Saya’s team believes that their results suggest that inhibition of the interaction between 14-3-3ζ and its client proteins by benzaldehyde has the potential to overcome the problem of therapy resistance. This study opens up possibilities for using benzaldehyde as a combinatorial anticancer agent, alongside molecular-targeted therapies.

The implications of this research are significant, offering new hope for patients with therapy-resistant pancreatic cancer. Further studies will be necessary to confirm these findings and explore their potential applications in the clinic.

The discovery of an “off switch” enzyme that can help prevent heart disease and diabetes is a significant breakthrough in the medical field. Scientists at The University of Texas at Arlington have identified an enzyme called IDO1, which plays a crucial role in inflammation regulation. By blocking this enzyme, researchers believe they can control inflammation and restore proper cholesterol processing.

Inflammation is a natural response to stress, injury, or infection, but when it becomes abnormal, it can lead to chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and dementia. The team found that IDO1 becomes activated during inflammation, producing a substance called kynurenine that interferes with how macrophages process cholesterol.

When IDO1 is blocked, however, macrophages regain their ability to absorb cholesterol, suggesting a new way to prevent heart disease by keeping cholesterol levels in check. The researchers also discovered that another enzyme linked to inflammation, nitric oxide synthase (NOS), worsens the effects of IDO1.

The findings are crucial because they suggest that understanding how to prevent inflammation-related diseases could lead to new treatments for conditions like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and others. The research team plans to further investigate the interaction between IDO1 and cholesterol regulation, with the goal of finding a safe way to block this enzyme and develop effective drugs to combat chronic diseases.

The discovery is supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF), indicating the importance of this research in advancing our understanding of inflammation-related diseases. With further study, it’s possible that we may see a new era in disease prevention and treatment, giving hope to millions of people affected by these conditions.

The world’s plastic pollution crisis has reached alarming levels, threatening both planetary and human health. Recycling is often touted as a solution, but a new study reveals a disturbing truth: a single pellet of recycled plastic can contain over 80 different chemicals. Researchers from the University of Gothenburg and Leipzig have shown that these hazardous substances can leach into water, causing impacts on hormone systems and lipid metabolism in zebrafish larvae.

The study, which soaked plastic pellets in water for 48 hours before exposing zebrafish larvae to the resulting mixture, found increases in gene expression related to lipid metabolism, adipogenesis, and endocrine regulation. The researchers emphasized that these short leaching times and exposure periods are yet another indicator of the risks posed by chemicals in plastics.

Previous research has shown similar effects on humans, including threats to reproductive health and obesity from exposure to toxic chemicals in plastics. Some chemicals used as additives in plastics and substances that contaminate plastics can disturb hormones, with potential impacts on fertility, child development, links to certain cancers, and metabolic disorders.

“This is the main obstacle with the idea of recycling plastic,” said Professor Bethanie Carney Almroth. “We never have full knowledge of what chemicals will end up in an item made of recycled plastic. And there is also a significant risk of chemical mixing events occurring, which render the recycled plastic toxic.”

The researchers analyzed the chemicals leaching from the plastic pellets and found common plastics chemicals, including UV-stabilizers and plasticizers, as well as chemicals not used as additives, such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and biocides. These may have contaminated the plastics during their first use phase prior to becoming waste and being recycled.

The study’s findings have significant implications for a Global Plastics Treaty currently being negotiated under the United Nations Environmental Program. The authors stress that negotiators and decision-makers must include provisions to ban or reduce hazardous chemicals in plastics, and to increase transparency and reporting along plastics value chains.

“This work clearly demonstrates the need to address toxic chemicals in plastics materials and products across their life cycle,” said Professor Bethanie Carney Almroth. “We cannot safely produce and use recycled plastics if we cannot trace chemicals throughout production, use, and waste phases.”