Common antibiotics in the treatment of pancreatic cancer have the potential to be tapped

Although surgical surgery is evolving, pancreatic cancer remains one of the most deadly and difficult to control because of the lack of effective treatment. Researchers at the VCU Messi Cancer Center and the VCU Molecular Medicine Institute (VIMM) laboratory are hoping to change this situation through their research. They combine an experimental drug with a common antibiotic, The previous test showed good results. The results of the trial were published in the recent journal Cancer Research.

The study found that the experimental drug Sabutoclax and a common antibiotic dimethylamine tetracycline binding can produce a strong synergistic effect. This combination of pancreatic cancer cells can produce significant toxicity, and can interfere with tumor growth, and can also extend the survival of several types of advanced pancreatic cancer mouse model.

"The treatment of pancreatic cancer is quite difficult because it is shown in the patient," said Fisher, a co-leader of the molecular genetic research program at Cancer Center Cancer, a professor of anthropology and molecular genetics at VCU School of Medicine. Gene expression spectrum is different, this complexity contributed to its aggressive and conventional therapy (such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy) resistance. "However, we use a variety of in vitro and in vivo models with different genetic backgrounds that are sensitive to this new combination of exciting combination therapy."

Sabutoclax is a new drug that inhibits the expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family proteins in most pancreatic cancers. Bcl-2 protein plays a key role in the process of cell survival by preventing apoptosis.

Dimethylamine tetracycline, a common synthetic tetracycline antibiotic, exhibits great potential in antitumor drugs that promote the expression of live Bcl-2 protein and then downstream of the cell death pathway Caspase-3 and caspase-9 activation (caspase is an enzyme that plays a key role in apoptosis, necrosis, and inflammation, and its activation is important for the death of apoptotic cells Essential). However, the study also shows that minocycline can induce tumor cell death and promote the inhibition of multiple types of cancer. The researchers speculate that sabutoclax may negate the promotion of minocycline for Bcl-2, but will enhance its anti-tumor properties.

The study found that the synergistic effect of the two drugs completely eliminates the expression of Stat3 in pancreatic cancer cells (Stat3 is a protein that regulates cell growth and development critical cell signaling pathways).

VCU School of Medicine doctoral student Bridget A. Quinn, is the key to this new healing concept. In 2013, Quinn won the VCU Messi Cancer Center's annual Tumor Research Excellence Award for his study of "Sabutoclax and Minocyline's Role in Antitumor".

"We hope to continue researching the combination of other tetracyclines and Sabutoclax to determine if there is any anti-tumor effect of drugs other than Minocycline," Quinn said. "We would also like to know whether this combination can affect other types of tumors effective".