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Fish oil may hold key to leukaemia
cure (IANS) |
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A fish oil compound that targets
leukaemia stem cells also holds the key to its cure.
Leukaemia refers to cancer of the blood or bone marrow (which
produces blood cells), resulting in abnormal production of
leukocytes (white blood cells).
The D12-PGJ3 compound targeted and killed stem cells of a
particular class of leukaemia, CML, in mice, said Sandeep
Prabhu, associate professor of molecular toxicology at the Penn
State University.
D12-PGJ3 is produced from Eicosapentaenoic acid, an Omega-3
fatty acid found in fish and fish oil, said Prabhu, according to
a university statement.
Some of leukaemia symptoms are poor blood clotting, impaired
immune system, anaemia besides nausea, fever, chills, night
sweats, flu-like symptoms and tiredness, the journal Blood
reports.
The compound kills cancer-causing stem cells in the mice’s
spleen and bone marrow. Specifically, it activates a gene p53 in
the leukaemia stem cell that programmes the cell’s own death,
the researchers said.
“p53 is a tumour suppressor gene that regulates the response to
DNA damage and maintains genomic stability,” Prabhu said.
Killing the stem cells in leukaemia, a cancer of the white blood
cells, is important because stem cells can divide and produce
more cancer cells, as well as create more stem cells, he added.
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