Researchers at Flinders University in Australia and the South China University of Technology have discovered a new way to weaken prostate cancer cells, which is one of the most common types of cancer in men, which can open the door to develop more effective treatments for this disease, which is a major challenge for doctors around the world. The study, published in the Journal of the US National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), reported that prostate cancer cells depend on two essential enzymes, PDIA1 and PDIA5, to survive, grow and resist treatment. The researchers explained that the two enzymes act as ‘molecular guards’ for androgenic receptors, which are proteins that attract the development of prostate cancer and promote its spread in the body. Experiments revealed that the inactivation of the two enzymes leads to the collapse of androgenic receptors in cancer cells, which eventually lead to cell death and shrinkage of crops in animal models and patient cells grown in the laboratory. The study team confirmed that the combination of medicines that impedes the action of the enzymes PDIA1 and PDIA5 with enzalutamide, a drug widely used in the treatment of prostate cancer, has significantly improved the effectiveness of treatment, which is an indication of the possibility of developing new, more powerful treatment protocols in the future. On the two enzymes, the lead author of the study, Luke Selt, head of prostate cancer research and co-director of the Cancer Impact program at the Flinders Institute of Health and Medical Research, said the research team had discovered a completely new mechanism that used cancer cells to protect androgenic receptors from collapse. He explained that the target of the two enzymes can make crops more vulnerable to current treatments. Selt added that this discovery is an important scientific step because it not only provides a deeper understanding of cancer biology, but also provides a new strategy to overcome treatment resistance, which is one of the biggest obstacles that doctors face in dealing with advanced prostate cancer. He emphasized that the results hope to improve the reaction rate on treatment strengthen in patients whose bodies have lost the ability to communicate with traditional medication. The study found that the role of the enzymes PDIA1 and PDIA5 is not only limited to the protection of androgenic receptors, but also extends to cancer cells to cope with stress and maintain energy production in it. Analyzes have shown that the disruption of the two enzymes leads to damage to the mitochondria – the part responsible for generating energy in cells – which causes disruption in energy production and high levels of oxidative stress, factors that make cells fragile and closer to death. Jianling Xie, co-author of the study, said the findings of the study of tumor samples taken from patients and animal models show a strong reaction in the combination of enzyme inhibitors with current drug therapy. She emphasized that the combination of treatments in the future could form a qualitative leap in the treatment of the disease. Shih explained that the two enzymes represent promising targets for the development of new medicines that can be used in collaboration with existing treatments, increase its effectiveness and extend their response period before resistance to drugs emerges. She pointed out that the results show how science can open several treatment roads at the same time so that it not only attacks the source of cancer growth, but also attacks the energy production mechanism on which the cells rely. The researcher pointed out that the double effect of the target of androgen receptors, while disrupting energy production in cells, is like ‘the fuel and the engine cuts off at the same time’, making the two enzymes ideal targets for therapeutic intervention. Double effect: The results of the study are a strong basis for the development of future clinical trials, especially as the combination of medicine was effective in provisional laboratory experiments, which increases the chances of moving to the stage of clinical studies on patients on patients at the near future of animal experiments. The lead author of the study explained that current medicines that can inactivate PDIA1 and PDIA5 show promising results, but that they need further improvements to become completely safe for human use. He emphasized that some of the current existing compounds may affect healthy cells, so the next step for research is to design more selective inhibitors that target only cancer cells without harming normal tissues. Selt added that this type of multiple research reflects how science can combine biochemistry, molecular biology and clinical medicine to achieve tangible results for patients, pointing out that international collaboration between researchers in Australia and China forms an effective model to exchange expertise and resources to deliver new knowledge that contributes to the ministry of humanity. The study team was of the opinion that the importance of this discovery is not only limited to the treatment of prostate cancer, but it may extend to other types of cancer that depend on similar receptors for growth, such as breast cancer and other hormone -dependent cancers. The researchers explained that the principles discovered on how to protect androgenic receptors can be used as a model for developing new therapeutic strategies in other diseases that rely on the same biochemical ways. The researchers have pointed out that the importance of the scientific discovery is that it provides a new model for understanding cancer resistance, as the results show that resistance to medicine is not only the result of genetic mutations, but it may also be the result of complex protein interactions in the cell that may represent growth epor, which declares that the target of this internal interaction. Second place: The study showed that the combination of hormonal therapy with new medicines targeting the two enzymes can radically transform patients who do not respond to traditional treatments. The researchers confirmed that some initial experiments on human cells have shown positive results in reducing the size of crops and increasing cancer -cell death rates, increasing the hope that these results can be clinically applied. The study team explained that this scientific approach is a step towards ‘precision medicine’, that is, the design of treatments that target specific mechanisms within cells instead of relying on general medication, reducing side effects and improving the chances of recovery. Seth revealed that the discovery of the role of the enzymes PDIA1 and PDIA5 in the stabilization of androgen receptors came after years of research on how cancer cells resist treatment. He explained that the study team used advanced molecular analysis techniques to monitor interactions within the cell in real time, which can determine the important role these two enzymes play to protect receptors from collapse. The researchers emphasized that the new findings add a new layer of understanding to the survival mechanisms of cancer cells, showing that the disruption of cellular homeostasis may be a powerful tool to undermine cancer’s ability to survive and reproduce. The study showed that prostate cancer is second place below the most common types of cancer in the world, and notes that hormonal treatments and medication that target androgen receptors have helped improve the healing rates for a large number of patients, but that it is still a major challenge due to developing resistance over time. The researchers indicated that the new discovery may be the key to overcoming this resistance and improving the patient’s outcomes, emphasizing that the next step is to develop safer and more effective medicine for use in clinical trials. Selt emphasized that the hope of the treatment of prostate cancer not only depends on the discovery of new medicines, but also on a profound understanding of the ways in which cancer bypasses treatment, and explains that this research is a turning point in this concept. He added that the success of this strategy will help make current treatments such as enzalutamide more effective and longer. The study team pointed out that the discovery of this new loophole in cancer cells is a great progress in understanding and treatment of the disease, and that continued work on the development of exact inhibitors of these enzymes can open a new chapter in the treatment of prostate cancer and other hormone -dependent crops.
New hope for prostate cancer patients. Discovering a loophole that weakens cells and improves treatment results
