Scientists from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, the Agharkar Research Institute, and the Indian Institute of Technology in Hyderabad have identified a new drug molecule that shows promise in treating cancer. The molecule has been found to have high anti-tumor potential and can reduce the growth of blood vessels, which can help to prevent the spread of cancer.
This discovery is significant because platinum drugs, which are currently the main treatment option for many types of cancer, often become ineffective due to the rapid development of resistance by patients. The findings of this new drug molecule are seen as significant because platinum drugs, which are the current main treatment option for many types of cancer, are often not effective due to the rapid development of resistance by patients.
Resistance in Cancer Cells
The study was conducted by a team of researchers from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, the Indian Institute of Technology in Hyderabad, and the Agharkar Research Institute. The team included Malay Patra, Manikandan M, Gourav Chakraborty, Sushanta Chhatar, Shubhankar Gadre, Chinmay Patra, and Naushad Ahmed.
As stated by the study's abstract, the development of resistance in cancer cells and the occurrence of side effects that limit the use of platinum (Pt) anticancer drugs has led to the search for alternative treatments. One possibility is the use of multi-action hybrid anticancer agents, which are composed of two or more pharmacophores and may offer a way to overcome the limitations of Pt drugs.
In this study, researchers designed, synthesized, and thoroughly evaluated a ruthenium-ferrocene (Ru-Fc) bimetallic agent and five analogs. The researchers also examined the in vitro antitumor potency, Pt cross-resistance profile, and in vivo antiangiogenic properties of the Ru-Fc hybrid. They conducted a structure-activity analysis to understand how the Fc, CF3, and p-cymene groups affected the anticancer potency of the Ru-Fc hybrid.
A woman with cancer is next to her daughter. A girl is hugging a woman happy - stock photo
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Extensive Biological Testing
In addition, they evaluated cellular uptake and intracellular distribution and demonstrated that the Ru-Fc hybrid binds to nucleophilic biomolecules, producing reactive oxygen species and causing mitochondrial dysfunction and endoplasmic reticulum stress, leading to necroptotic cell death mediated by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase.
According to Malay Patra, the new drug, called "Ruthenium-Ferrocene Bimetallic," has the potential to inhibit the growth of primary tumors and prevent the spread of cancer (metastasis) by reducing the growth of blood vessels (anti-angiogenesis). Patra, who is the Principal Investigator at the Medicinal Chemistry and Cell Biology Laboratory at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research's Department of Chemical Sciences, also stated that the drug can restrict the development of new blood vessels and may be effective in treating cancer cases that are resistant to platinum drugs.
So far, the researchers have conducted extensive biological testing of the drug on cellular models and zebrafish. They are now planning to evaluate the drug's effectiveness and toxicity in mice. The team's research has been published in the ACS journal and suggests that the drug may have potential therapeutic applications in the treatment of platinum-resistant cancers, following a report from Free Press Journal.
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