2023-10-12 05:18:13
Researchers from Leuven have discovered potential new anti-cancer agents. This was announced by the Flemish Institute of Biotechnology (VIB) on Thursday. The substances are produced by “pseudomonas baetica”, a bacteria extracted from the livers of diseased flatfish.
In March 2006, a mysterious illness affected a Spanish population of farmed fish, a popular fish species for human consumption. Using genetic analyses, researchers attempted to find the causative pathogen.
Several species of “pseudomonas” bacteria have been identified as a possible cause, including a new species called “pseudomonas baetica.” Further study of this bacterial species by the VIB-KU Leuven Microbiology Center and the KU Leuven Department of Biology revealed genes in its DNA that are responsible for the production of a group of anticancer agents called oximides.
Oximides can specifically suppress the function of V-ATPases in mammalian cells. V-ATPases are types of pumps that control the acidity balance in the cell. A range of diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, osteoporosis and cancer, can be linked to malfunction of these pumps.
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The team discovered a total of three new oximide variants, all of which exhibit strong anticancer activity. “To our surprise, we discovered that the bacteria causing the mysterious Wington’s tongue disease are also capable of producing anti-cancer compounds,” explains Professor Joleen Masschelein, who led the research.
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The research team then went further and discovered by what chemical processes these oximides are produced, and were able to manipulate the genetic assembly. The bacteria were thus able to produce a new oximide that was chemically simpler and therefore more stable than its natural counterpart, which was more complex, but which had the same strong anticancer activity. This discovery paves the way for the use of oximides in the fight against cancer and other diseases.
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