Researchers Eradicate 99% of Cancer Cells in Laboratory Settings Utilizing Vibrating Molecules
A Breakthrough in Cancer Treatment: Utilizing Molecular Jackhammers to Destroy Cancer Cells
In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have identified a novel approach to annihilate cancer cells. By stimulating aminocyanine molecules with near-infrared light, researchers induced synchronized vibrations capable of breaking apart the membranes of cancer cells.
Aminocyanine molecules, recognized synthetic dyes in bioimaging, have been traditionally employed in trace amounts to detect cancer. Their stability in water and affinity for cell exteriors make them effective in such applications.
The collaborative research team from Rice University, Texas A&M University, and the University of Texas introduces a significant advancement over previous cancer-killing molecular machines, such as Feringa-type motors. These newly termed "molecular jackhammers" exhibit mechanical motion over one million times faster than their predecessors, with the added advantage of activation via near-infrared light rather than visible light, a crucial factor enabling deeper penetration into the body.
The utilization of near-infrared light holds particular importance as it offers the potential to treat cancers in bones and organs without resorting to invasive surgical procedures. In experiments on cultured cancer cells, the molecular jackhammer approach demonstrated an impressive 99 percent success rate in destroying cells. Testing on mice with melanoma tumors resulted in half the subjects becoming cancer-free.
Aminocyanine molecules possess unique structural and chemical properties that facilitate synchronization with specific stimuli, such as near-infrared light. The induced motion generates plasmons, collective vibrating entities within the molecules that drive movement throughout the entire structure.
Chemist Ciceron Ayala-Orozco from Rice University emphasizes the significance of this discovery, stating, "This is the first time a molecular plasmon is utilized in this way to excite the whole molecule and to actually produce mechanical action used to achieve a particular goal – in this case, tearing apart cancer cells' membrane."
The plasmons, with an arm on one side, connect the molecules to cancer cell membranes, facilitating the vibrations that dismantle them. While the research is in its early stages, these initial findings are incredibly promising.
This biomechanical technique presents a straightforward and potentially formidable method against which cancer cells may struggle to evolve effective countermeasures. The researchers are now exploring other types of molecules that can be employed similarly in this innovative approach to cancer treatment.
Chemist Ciceron Ayala-Orozco concludes, "This study is about a different way to treat cancer using mechanical forces at the molecular scale," pointing to a promising direction for the future of cancer therapy.