Scientists have identified a unique sugar molecule found in deepsea bacteria that exhibits the ability to selectively destroy cancer cells.
Preliminary studies reveal that this compound targets malignant cells, breaking down their energy production pathways and leaving healthy tissue unharmed.
The findings of the research are published in ‘The FASEB Journal’. According to 2022 International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) figures, the number of new cancer cases in Nigeria is estimated at nearly 128 000 per year.
According to ‘ScienceDaily,’ the compound, called EPS3.9, causes a fiery form of cell death in cancer cells causing them to self-destruct in a process called pyroptosis.
It also activates the immune cells to fight back during lab tests and in mice with liver cancer. This discovery could pave the way for new and less invasive ways to treat cancer based on sugars from marine organisms.
