Three researchers from the University of North Florida (UNF) discovered a compound aimed at fighting cancer, a finding that "could lead to significantly better outcomes for patients with hard-to-treat cancers," the institution announced in a statement.
The peptide discovered by the UNF team targets certain breast, colon, and lung cancers and prevents them from progressing. The compound has been granted a United States patent, as noted in the report.
The study carried out by UNF is among the first to explore the use of peptoids for the early diagnosis of cancer and its possible treatment. This is the only known university conducting this type of study, the text states.
The research focuses on a group of proteins called protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMT) to understand why they are produced in excess and highly activated, causing them to bind to more proteins in the body," UNF explained. "When this happens, a chemical mark is created on the proteins called methylation, which subsequently causes cancer genes that were previously suppressed to be activated: it turns on cancer."
The teaching staff at UNF is composed of Dr. Bryan Knuckley, principal researcher and president, and professor of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Dr. Corey Causey, associate professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry; and Dr. Fatima Rehman, associate professor of Biology.
Knuckley began the research shortly after joining UNF in 2012. At the head of the project, the academic identified and developed new peptoid compounds and conducted biochemical studies to validate their action on PRMT proteins.
Meanwhile, Causey created the essential components for the synthesis of these innovative peptoids, and Rehman played a key role in testing the effectiveness and specificity of the compounds in human cancer and normal cells, to evaluate their potential as targeted therapy against cancer.
University students also took part in the research since 2019.
We are still in the early stages of the process, but this is an exciting development, and research shows a promising intervention for the treatment of some aggressive cancers," Knuckley said.
Currently, researchers are examining the exact mechanism of action through which these peptoids specifically kill cancer cells. At the same time, they are conducting additional tests on individual peptoids designed during the study, while awaiting a second patent to be granted within a year.
The UNF specified that the first patent obtained by the team focuses on the treatment of cancers using peptoids targeting PRMTs; while the second, pending approval, is for specific peptoid compounds.
"This is a lifelong project to help end cancer," Knuckley emphasized. "We want to keep researching and conducting tests to better understand how these proteins work and how we can improve the inhibitor to develop new therapies or drugs."
What is your opinion?
COMMENTFiled under:
