癌症一直是備受關注的議題,至今已累積不少證據,癌細胞的新陳代謝與普通細胞有著與別不同的地方。987Please respect copyright.PENANADWZkRnLUqW
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不少科學家深信,若然能夠針對癌細胞獨有的新陳代謝機制,將能更有效及針對性抑壓癌細胞的生長,甚至是殲滅它們。987Please respect copyright.PENANAvzQ6yBQLb1
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近日,有科學家發表文章(Ref1),提出新的證據顯示新陳代謝對於癌細胞擴展的重要性。987Please respect copyright.PENANACUNrGloz12
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圖1)講解文章內容之前,我們需要快速學習一下相關的術語。987Please respect copyright.PENANAvSpOqIsr0W987Please respect copyright.PENANAGPvrObWVaB
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腫瘤由原來的位置轉移到另外一個器官,整個過程我們稱之為Metastasis。987Please respect copyright.PENANAOinxOpoaCn
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Primary Tumor(原發腫瘤)就是指原本被發現的癌細胞所在地,癌細胞會透過血液循環系統(Blood Circulatory System)或者淋巴系統(Lymphatic System)而從原本的位置轉移到另外一個器官,若然癌細胞能夠在第二個器官順利安頓下來及繁殖生長的話,我們會稱那腫瘤為Secondary Tumor(繼發性腫瘤)。987Please respect copyright.PENANA13d0krYeO7
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非常遺憾地,很多癌症病人的死因就在於Metastasis的發生,亦即是繼發性腫瘤的出現。987Please respect copyright.PENANAbpGtkBnPGu
所以現今有不少科學家致力研究癌細胞Metastasis的機制,希望可以找出有效的方法阻止其發生。987Please respect copyright.PENANAYDkCOmhikk
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(圖2)科學家們分別從30歲以下人士及60歲以上人士抽取其血清用作培養癌細胞之用。987Please respect copyright.PENANArybH9B5hcH987Please respect copyright.PENANAYOHwfazPq1
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他們發現,利用60歲以上人士血清培養過的癌細胞,將比30歲以下人士的987Please respect copyright.PENANAAsxZG5bIxi
1.更呈化療藥物抗藥性987Please respect copyright.PENANADN4olvbhTm
2.更容易使癌細胞出現Metastasis987Please respect copyright.PENANAnzjGupJJfn
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(圖3)經過一大輪的實驗後,科學家們發現60歲以上人士的血清含有更多methylmalonic acid (MMA)。987Please respect copyright.PENANAoMutfEx3Pt987Please respect copyright.PENANAINnQANvdBk
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當清除血清裡的MMA過後,血清亦因而失去誘導癌細胞發生Metastasis的功能;987Please respect copyright.PENANAxH5YBqf32t
MMA的來源,已知是由代謝蛋白質及脂肪的時候會產生出來。987Please respect copyright.PENANAHX4JED5Kb1
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而他們亦證實,脂肪結構會協助MMA更有效率進入癌細胞,誘發一系列的過程誘使Metastasis發生。987Please respect copyright.PENANAUXqsFogOpW
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確實究竟是甚麼的脂肪結構,以及為何年老人士會有較多的MMA,暫時還沒能搞清楚。987Please respect copyright.PENANAuccVPZuV4a
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缺乏維他命B12,已被確定為會引致更多MMA的產生,但是從60歲以上人士的血清裡頭並沒有發現維他命B12與血清的MMA有直接的關聯,相信一定是有其他的原因導致MMA濃度的增加。987Please respect copyright.PENANAw5tI9GsJTO
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要注意的是,文章所說的是,MMA有著誘導癌細胞進行Metastasis功效,而不是指MMA能夠誘導細胞轉化成為癌細胞。987Please respect copyright.PENANA8pgdTY4N3R
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總結來說,隨著歲數的增加,我們身體裡的MMA濃度亦會增加,提供了一個「良好」的環境讓癌細胞進行Metastasis。987Please respect copyright.PENANAC3FnRZr3J8
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無論如何,如何想利用這結果來進一步發展日後的癌細胞醫療方法,還需要深入搞清楚裡頭的機制才行。987Please respect copyright.PENANASO4up55A1u
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Ref1:https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2630-0