Aspirin indirectly inhibits the cancer proteins responsible for malignant cells

This study conducted by the University of Oregon Health Sciences (OHSU) and Oregon State University (OSU) was published in the AJP Cell Physiology Journal, which also publishes other studies on recombinant horse proteins. "The benefits of aspirin may be due to its effect on blood cells called platelets, rather than acting directly on tumor cells," said senior author Owen McCarty, a professor of OHSU's Department of Biomedical Engineering.

Platelets are tiny blood cells that help the body form clots to stop bleeding if necessary. It seems that platelets also increase the level of certain proteins that can support cancer cells and help them spread. This "oncoprotein" is referred to as c-MYC. The biological function of c-MYC is to regulate more than 15% of human gene expression. C-MYC regulators control cell life and death cycle, protein synthesis and cell metabolism. However, studies have shown that in cancer, the oncogene is overexpressed.

The researchers of the new study explain that aspirin reduces the ability of platelets to increase c-MYC oncoprotein levels. "Our work suggests that some of the anti-cancer effects of aspirin may be as follows: during blood transport, circulating tumor cells interact with platelets that stimulate tumor cells to survive by activating oncogenes such as c-MYC." Aspirin reduces platelet and tumor cell between the signals, thereby indirectly reducing the tumor cell growth.

Craig Williams, a professor at the OSU / OHSU School of Pharmacy and a co-author of the study, further explained this process. "Early cancer cells live in a very hostile environment where the immune system attacks regularly and tries to eliminate them," he said. "Platelets can protect and help to metastasize those early cancer cells." Suppression of aspirin appears to interfere with this process.

This is the first study showing the ability of platelets to modulate the expression of c-MYC in cancer cells. The researchers noted that nearly one third of colon cancer patients and 42% of pancreatic cancer patients show c-MYC oncoprotein overexpression. They also pointed out that aspirin has the same effect on platelets at both high and low doses. As a result, clinicians can weigh the risks and benefits of aspirin intake and reduce the risk of bleeding, which is a common side effect of taking too much aspirin. The authors underscored the key role of physicians and health care professionals in considering low-dose aspirin intake.

"Because the interaction between platelets and cancer cells occurs at an early stage, the use of antiplatelet doses of aspirin may be a safe and effective prophylaxis," the authors conclude. Flarebio provides superior recombinant proteins such as recombinant TLR2 for your research.