Cancer – Killing
cancer cells with a modified Vitamin E Succinate
May 19th, 2006
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Vitamin E
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Researchers from The Ohio State
University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital
and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC-James) found that a
derived form of vitamin E can cause cancer cells to die. The study was
first published in the April 28th issue of the Journal of
Biological Chemistry.
Vitamin E succinate also known as
alpha tocopheryl succinate which is available in supplement form is
often taken due to the antioxidant benefits. There has been some
previous research that has shown a slight ability to kill cancer cells
when taking this supplement. Vitamin E succinate has been considered a
chemopreventive agent.
The method the cancer cells are
killed is through a natural process called apoptosis which is a
programmed cell death. The researchers wanted to further understand why
the vitamin E succinate was capable of killing cancer cells.
"Our findings could lead to a potent
chemopreventive agent that has both strong anticancer and antioxidant
properties," said principal investigator Ching-Shih Chen, professor of
pharmacy and of internal medicine and a researcher with the OSUCCC-James.
"Such an agent might help reduce the risk of prostate, colon and other
cancers."
In the study researchers discovered
that vitamin E succinate blocks a protein called Bcl-xL. This protein
is commonly available with healthy cells, but in cancer cells the Bcl-xL
levels are at an abnormally high level which prevents cell death and
allows the cancer to grow further.
The researchers found that in a
computer model of the compounds that the vitamin E derivative works by
disabling the Bcl-xL because of its shape fitting into a groove in the
protein. The vitamin E molecule shape does not fit tightly into the
groove. Improving the fit could make it more effective at blocking the
Bcl-xL protein and stopping the cancer cell growth.
"Once we identified how the agent
and the protein interact, we asked how we could improve that
interaction," Chen says.
The researchers were able to further
modify the vitamin E succinate to give a better fit into the Bcl-xL
protein. When the better fitting modified vitamin E succinate was
tested on its ability to kill cancer cells it dramatically increased.
Its ability to disable the protein and kill the cancer cells increased
by five to ten fold compared to the regular vitamin E succinate.
"Overall, out findings are proof of
the principle that this drug can kill cancer cells very effectively but
does very little damage to healthy cells," Chen says.
Nicole Wilson
Best SyndicationBooks on Cancer
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