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New Compounds Target Aggressive Brain Cancer Growth
2 Nov
Summary
- Two compounds developed by IIT researchers block a key protein.
- These compounds target TTK protein, crucial for cell division.
- New approach shows promise against drug-resistant glioblastoma.
Scientists at IIT Gandhinagar have devised a novel strategy to combat glioblastoma, a severe and treatment-resistant form of brain cancer. Their research has led to the development of two compounds that specifically block the tyrosine threonine kinase (TTK) protein, essential for regulating cell division.
These compounds, identified as SPK17 and SPK17b, have demonstrated effectiveness in suppressing glioblastoma cell growth. SPK17 disrupts the cell division checkpoint, causing cells to divide with unrepaired DNA damage, leading to cell death. SPK17b, however, induces toxic by-products within the cells, overwhelming their defenses and leading to self-destruction. This compound also appears to inhibit the cancer cells' ability to metastasize.
Both developed molecules have shown greater efficacy compared to temozolomide, a standard chemotherapy drug for glioblastoma, which cancer cells can evolve to evade. The research aims to identify new methods to target these resilient tumor cells.
Future studies are underway to assess the efficacy of these compounds in animal models, marking a critical next step in understanding their potential benefits and risks for treating drug-resistant glioblastoma.
