<p>A fish oil compound that targets leukaemia stem cells also holds the key to its cure.<br />Leukaemia refers to cancer of the blood or bone marrow (which produces blood cells), resulting in abnormal production of leukocytes (white blood cells).<br /><br /></p>.<p>The D12-PGJ3 compound targeted and killed stem cells of a particular class of leukaemia, CML, in mice, said Sandeep Prabhu, associate professor of molecular toxicology at the Penn State University.D12-PGJ3 is produced from Eicosapentaenoic acid, an Omega-3 fatty acid found in fish and fish oil, said Prabhu, according to a university statement.<br /><br />Some of leukaemia symptoms are poor blood clotting, impaired immune system, anaemia besides nausea, fever, chills, night sweats, flu-like symptoms and tiredness, the journal Blood reports.The compound kills cancer-causing stem cells in the mice's spleen and bone marrow. Specifically, it activates a gene p53 in the leukaemia stem cell that programmes the cell’s own death, the researchers said.”<br /><br />p53 is a tumour suppressor gene that regulates the response to DNA damage and maintains genomic stability,” Prabhu said.Killing the stem cells in leukaemia, a cancer of the white blood cells, is important because stem cells can divide and produce more cancer cells, as well as create more stem cells, he added.</p>
<p>A fish oil compound that targets leukaemia stem cells also holds the key to its cure.<br />Leukaemia refers to cancer of the blood or bone marrow (which produces blood cells), resulting in abnormal production of leukocytes (white blood cells).<br /><br /></p>.<p>The D12-PGJ3 compound targeted and killed stem cells of a particular class of leukaemia, CML, in mice, said Sandeep Prabhu, associate professor of molecular toxicology at the Penn State University.D12-PGJ3 is produced from Eicosapentaenoic acid, an Omega-3 fatty acid found in fish and fish oil, said Prabhu, according to a university statement.<br /><br />Some of leukaemia symptoms are poor blood clotting, impaired immune system, anaemia besides nausea, fever, chills, night sweats, flu-like symptoms and tiredness, the journal Blood reports.The compound kills cancer-causing stem cells in the mice's spleen and bone marrow. Specifically, it activates a gene p53 in the leukaemia stem cell that programmes the cell’s own death, the researchers said.”<br /><br />p53 is a tumour suppressor gene that regulates the response to DNA damage and maintains genomic stability,” Prabhu said.Killing the stem cells in leukaemia, a cancer of the white blood cells, is important because stem cells can divide and produce more cancer cells, as well as create more stem cells, he added.</p>
