NEWS UPDATE:OXIDATIVE STRESS IN TREATING CANCER

NEW HOPE FOR CANCER, INFLAMMATION, AND AGING

The latest study on DNA has shown that the telomeres or the cap of DNA which protects the inner contents of the DNA, is the director of DNA multiplication. The elongated telomere is more active than the shorter one. Aging is shortening the telomeres which then slows down the DNA multiplication leads to the slow down of the tissue cell division. Hence as the age gets higher and higher the formation of new tissues gets slower and slower and at one point it may stop completely.

In contrast in cancer the level of the enzyme telomerase increase which lengthens the telomeres which then gives high elevated signals to stimulate DNA multiplication rapidly and irregularly which cause the rapid formation of cancerous cells.

The new study spills hope in designing new therapies to strengthen and preserve telomeres in healthy cells and ultimately find a way to combat the effects of aging and inflammation.

On the other side, the new study opens the way for newer therapies to deplete or weaken the telomeres in cancerous cells.

Oxidative stress which causes the formations of oxidative damaging molecules such as free radicals build-ups inside the cell may be useful to shorten the telomeres in cancerous cells in the future.

Oxidative free radicals may not only damage the cells and telomeres also prevent the buildup of DNA upon the telomeres to elongate them.

It has been found that the elongation of telomere is due to the build-up of DNA upon its tip and not the development of the telomere itself.

Much to the confusion that the presence of the enzyme telomerase in higher-level may lengthen the telomere more rapidly in the presence of free radicals.

But a later study confirmed that during the oxidative stress the enzyme telomerase was able to add a damaged DNA precursor at the tip of the telomere but was then unable to add additional DNA molecule on it. Hence it is to be concluded that the oxidative free radicals are actually damaging the DNA precursor molecules only and not the telomere itself and hereby they shorten the telomere.

Further, the research team has found out that oxidation of the DNA building blocks may prevent and inhibit the enzyme telomerase activity which can be well used to inhibit the formation of cancerous cells.

Dr.Opresco et al are now starting to further explore the study of selective oxidative damage to telomeres by using advanced photosynthesizer and heading to explore the results.