透過進食,我們能夠從食物中獲取身體所需的能量。這過程亦稱之為新陳代謝。485Please respect copyright.PENANAzW7tFJDj74485Please respect copyright.PENANAsRJoZgQvfr
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有無數證據顯示,癌細胞的新陳代謝與正常的細胞有著顯著的分別。485Please respect copyright.PENANAQO29EAHXc2
正因如此,有不少科學家抱有一個信念,希望透過針對癌細胞的新陳代謝來抑止癌細胞的生長,甚至是達消滅癌細胞之效。485Please respect copyright.PENANAWw68XXyQLQ
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(圖2)半胱胺酸 (Cysteine)是氨基酸的一種,亦即是組成蛋白質的基本單元。485Please respect copyright.PENANAJFJhUmfQ7g485Please respect copyright.PENANAjw0tGpwHMg
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我們可以透過直接進食來攝取Cysteine,又或者依靠肝臟將特定兩隻氨基酸(Methionine及Serine)轉化成為Cysteine供我們所用。485Please respect copyright.PENANA8WpMzNPIIq
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有科學家嘗試從飼養癌細胞的營養液中剔除Cysteine,發覺部份癌細胞的生長速度有所減慢,而有部份的癌細胞則趨向死亡(Ref1)。485Please respect copyright.PENANAj2oK9iCRZ1
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(圖3)從營養液剔除Cysteine後,身體攝取Cysteine的辦法便只剩下依靠肝臟將同為氨基酸的Methionine及Serine轉化成為Cysteine。485Please respect copyright.PENANAnZuMAavUZS485Please respect copyright.PENANAVL5S3gVup6
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而各種剔除Cysteine便會死亡的癌細胞的共通點,就是缺乏一隻名為5-methylthioadenosine phosphorylase(MTAP)的蛋白酶。485Please respect copyright.PENANA1Eu5AEBZjo
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失去MTAP後,細胞會傾向將Methionine轉化成為一系列名為Polyamine的物質,導致身體失去製作Cysteine的手段。485Please respect copyright.PENANA8Bn7dIScb1
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更甚的是,產生Polyamine的過程中將會產生游離基,而制衡游離基的Glutathione卻則依靠Cysteine作為原材料。485Please respect copyright.PENANAjXAnXs3X5l
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因此,缺乏MTAP的癌細胞若然沒有外來Cysteine供應的話,便會因游離基數量過多而導致死亡。485Please respect copyright.PENANAyoI9OFb2GP
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環觀各種癌細胞,膠質母細胞瘤(Glioblastoma)有較大的機會因基因變異而失去MTAP基因。485Please respect copyright.PENANAXuv5D0XpFI
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根據上述研究結果,若癌症病人的癌細胞證實缺乏MTAP基因的話,在餐單中剔除進食Cysteine氨基酸或許是一個副作用相對上為微的理性選擇。485Please respect copyright.PENANAy214HeVx1q
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如果想我快啲出文的話,請入去Penana網站科普專欄–薯不揀單俾一個like以及Bookmark,這對我非常之重要。485Please respect copyright.PENANAbPRJmFHF4e
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Link: https://www.penana.com/story/66244/%E7%A7%91%E6%99%AE%E5%B0%88%E6%AC%84-%E8%96%AF%E4%B8%8D%E6%8F%80%E5%96%AE/toc485Please respect copyright.PENANANUdEAEUyul
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https://www.penana.com/user/27349/%E8%96%AF%E4%BB%94%E8%81%9E%E8%8C%B1%E8%8E%89/portfolio485Please respect copyright.PENANAFgTyvEqRim
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有興趣接收科學資訊的話,歡迎follow IG: potatopigtongue。485Please respect copyright.PENANA11BQ9krNZM
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Ref1:https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-020-0253-2