Posted on 07/27/2022 6:16:26 AM PDT by ConservativeMind
A key molecule for cancer metastasis has been identified as a molecule already known for its involvement in cardiovascular disease, suggesting a possible treatment approach for both diseases simultaneously.
A team of researchers have discovered that, in malignant tumors, endothelial cells accumulate a lipid delivery molecule called low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and attract immune cells called neutrophils. Neutrophils are immune suppressor cells which are known to contribute to tumor progression.
The research team showed that metastasizing tumors, in contrast to non-metastasizing ones, accumulate proteoglycan molecules; these, in turn, attach to and accumulate LDL to the walls of blood vessels. The bound LDL becomes oxidized. There are also high levels of its receptor, called LOX-1, in the blood vessel-lining endothelial cells of metastasizing tumors. This, they found, causes these cells to produce inflammation signals that attract neutrophils. They then proved that in mice, the suppression of LOX-1 can significantly reduce tumor malignancy, and also that LOX-1 overexpression caused an increase in signaling molecules attracting neutrophils.
As the team hypothesized, this sequence of interactions observed in malignant tumors is not novel: it occurs in atherosclerosis, the hardening of blood vessels.
Even though some questions remain open, especially on the mechanism of how neutrophils contribute to cancer malignancy, this study is the first to explicitly prove the mechanistic commonalities between cardiovascular disease and cancer progression and trace the mechanism involving LDL accumulation and LOX-1 expression in in-vivo tumor tissue.
The study also points to a promising approach for treating and preventing malignant cancer—and cardiovascular disease—by targeting neutrophil recruitment to endothelial cells. Hida concludes: "The number of patients with cancer who die not of cancer, but of cardiovascular events, is increasing. Targeting the LOX-1/oxidized LDL axis might be a promising strategy for the treatment of the two diseases concomitantly."
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
A few options to address this are here:
What Is Oxidized Cholesterol?
https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-oxidized-ldl-698079
It’s a two-fer!
https://www.webmd.com/cancer/features/cancer-sugar-link
The idea that “cancer likes sugar” has been around or awhile. But maybe it’s closer to say that cancer likes LDL.
You make a great point.
Promising, indeed. Thanks for posting CM!
Another consideration is lowering LDL via omega-3 (fish oil) supplementation, and countering atherosclerosis via vitamins D3 and K2 and magnesium supplementation. (I'm not a physician, this is not advice.)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.