Oncologists at the University of Pennsylvania made an interesting and important discovery. It turns out that the human body can independently, without the help of drugs and anti-cancer therapy, overcome cancer. University staff managed to find a molecule called TIC10 that activates the protein TRAIL, which helps fight cancer.
The TRAIL protein is known to inhibit the growth of tumor tissue during the cancer cell search process called immune surveillance. However, as the cancer grows, this process slows down, which often leads to uncontrolled growth of the neoplasm.
The TIC10 molecule has the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. This makes it effective in the fight against brain cancer. It activates the TRAIL gene in cells, which ultimately leads to the death of cancer cells and their surrounding cells. Healthy cells at the same time increase the number of TRAIL receptors on their surface, providing support.
Experiments with the molecule have so far been carried out on mice, but scientists have no doubt that it will work with respect to humans. Scientists are currently exploring the possibilities of an artificial version of the non-toxic protein TRAIL. But we can already say with full confidence that in the form of a medicine, protein is also safe.
