Scientists from the University of Texas have developed a novel molecule called ERX-41 that can successfully kill various types of cancer cells by disrupting the protein-protein interactions in them. This molecule was successful in killing hard to treat cancer cells such as triple negative breast cancer. ERX-41 binds to the lysosomal acid lipase (LAL) protein which is overexpressed in tumor cells. This binding disrupts the expression of several endoplasmic reticulum (ER) proteins and affects normal cellular protein folding mechanism.
This causes ER stress which subsequently leads to cancer cell death. This compound was tested on mice infected with triple negative breast cancer tumors and other tumors, and also on histological human tissue samples . The compound was also effective against glioblastoma, pancreatic cancer cells, and ovarian cancer cells. The compound did not affect…
