Tsinghua exploration breakthrough disease: humans are expected to "starve" | | cancer cells of cancer cells _ disease research news

People's daily (by staff reporter Zhang Xiaoge) yesterday, Tsinghua University announced: the Faculty of Yan Ning research group in the world, the first resolution crystal structure of a human glucose transporter GLUT1, initially revealed its work and the pathogenesis of the disease, in the exploration of the people to surmount significant diseases such as cancer, diabetes, has taken a very important step on the road. The future, humans are expected to "starve" the cancer cells.

Yesterday, United Kingdom the nature magazine in the form of a long essay published this result. According to reports, the glucose is every creature on the planet's most important and most basic source of energy, is also the main substance of the brain and nervous system. It is estimated that brains on average consumes about 120 grams of glucose per day, per cent of total body glucose consumption by more than half. Glucose enters the cell is the first step, but water affinity glucose dissolved in water, while the hydrophobic cell membrane is like a layer of oil, so glucose cannot pass through the cell membrane into the cell itself play a role, must rely on the transporter "transport machine" to complete. Glucose transport proteins embedded in the cell membrane, as in the hydrophobic cell membrane opened another door, glucose transport into the cell from outside the cell.

Said Professor Yan Ning, glucose transporter GLUT1 exist in almost every cell in the human body, brain, nervous system, muscles and other tissues and organs in most of the glucose transporter, is vital to maintaining normal physiological functions of the human body. This transporter function deficiency will cause death, functional deletion can cause diseases such as brain atrophy, mental retardation, developmental delay.

At the same time, this transporter protein also plays an important function in the metabolism of cancer cells. Cancer cells need to consume excess glucose to maintain its growth and expansion, transporter GLUT1 in excessive means significantly cell cancerous occur.

"As a result, such as composition, results of the study clearly GLUT1 and working mechanism, it is possible to achieve glucose transport in human intervention through regulation. "Said Professor Yan Ning, which will increase the supply of glucose in normal cells, achieve the purpose of treatment of related diseases, and by blocking the supply of glucose" starving to death "cancer cells.

(Original title: humans are expected to "starve" the cancer cells)

(Edit: SN091)
01:59 June 06, 2014 The Beijing times