Showing posts with label cancer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cancer. Show all posts

Sunday, April 5, 2015

Lung cancer cell division, SEMCancer as a Metabolic Disease
by Jeffrey Dach MD

Losing the War On Cancer

War_On_Cancer_Lost_spector_cancer_Fig_22We have lost the war against cancer.  This becomes obvious by taking a quick look at the chart below.  Cancer Death Rates have declined slightly since 1975 due to reduction in lung cancer rates from decreased cigarette consumption.   Otherwise, there has been little change. Above left lung cancer cell dividing courtesy of NIH .  

Below chart image courtesy of Scientific American. 

The Failure of Chemotherapy

In 1997, John C. Bailar M.D. explained how we lost the "War Against Cancer" : "The failure of chemotherapy to control cancer has become apparent even to the oncology establishment."  
Here is a quote from  Dr. Haines in Lancet:  "The misplaced battlefield analogy has led to 40 years of toxic and overly aggressive chemotherapy in incurable solid cancers for which no studies have shown that maximum tolerated doses of chemotherapy achieve longer survival or better quality of life than do minimum effective doses. This approach has led to inappropriate and toxic therapies for many patients.... "
Dr Carlos Garcia says cancer treatment with chemotherapy has a 97% failure rate: Three Per Cent Efficacy Of CHEMO On Cancer by Carlos Garcia MD.

Chemotherapy kills normal cells as well as cancer cells
chemotherapy drugThe obvious flaw in cancer chemotherapy treatment is the non-specificity.  In other words, cancer chemotherapy kills cancer cells as well as normal cells.  This unwanted toxicity to normal cells accounts for the adverse side effects of chemotherapy, namely nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, weight loss, bone marrow suppression with anemia, hair loss etc.




Finding a Selective Cancer Treatment, Leaving Normal Cells Unharmed

Cancer As Metabolic Disease SeyfriedThe optimal cancer treatment is one that kills cancer cells while leaving normal cells unharmed.  Dr Seyfried's article, "Cancer as a metabolic disease " points the way to this goal.(1)   Dr. Seyfried says: "cancer is primarily a metabolic disease involving disturbances in energy production through respiration and fermentation."(1)  Electron microscope studies have shown abnormalities in the mitochondria of cancer cells.(2)  The cancer cell's mitochondria have undergone "metabolic reprogramming", thereby providing a key which can be exploited to devise a more selective cancer treatment. (3,4)  Above left image, Cover of book Cancer as a Metabolic Disease by Dr Thomas Seyfried courtesy of the Examiner.  

Drs Ko and Pederson, 3BP and Hexokinase II

Basic science studies by Drs Ko and Pedeson have uncovered the exact details of the metabolic reprogramming of the mitochondria of cancer cells.  In cancer cells, an embryonic form of Hexokinase called Hexokinase II has been attached to the membrane pores of the mitochondria (called VDAC voltage dependent anion channels) .  Hexokinase II is the first enzyme in glucose utilization and its location on the outer membrane pores allows for the massive utilization of glucose to feed the rapidly growing tumor mass.  Separation of the Hexokinase II from the VDAC pore on the outer mitochondrial membrane triggers apoptosis (programmed cell death) of the cancer cell while sparing normal cells.(5,6)

Dr_Ko_Dr_Pedersen_Drs_Khan 

Above image: Dr. Young Ko and Dr. Peter Pedersen with Dr. Humaira Khan, Medicor CEO (left) and Dr. Akbar Khan Medicor Medical Director (right) at the Medicor Office in Toronto, December 2008. Courtesy of Medicor.

Discovery of 3BP by Dr. Ko

Drs Ko and Pederson discovered a small molecule called 3BP which throws a "monkey wrench" into the metabolic machinery of the cancer cell, and induces apoptosis via separation of Hexokinase II from the outer mitochondrial membrane. (7)(27, 28)
3BP (3 Bromo Pyruvate) is a small non-toxic molecule that induces apoptosis in cancer cells while sparing normal cells, thus providing the most promising cancer treatment we have seen in many years.  In-fighting over patent rights by the key players has delayed drug development and commercialization.  Unfortunately, 3BP as a cancer treatment may never come to fruition. (7)

Natural Compounds that Disassociate Hexokinase II from VDAC

Human_VDACThankfully, there are many other compounds in the natural world that act on this same mechanism of selectively inducing apoptosis in cancer cells while sparing normal cells.   Many of these have already been commercialized and are available at the health food store.Left Image VDAC courtesy of NIH.

Resveratrol and Pterostilbenes

Resveratrol from grapes and its derivative Pterostilbene have been extensively studied and demonstrate striking anticancer activity.  Studies show that Pterostilbene induces apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway in breast cancer cell lines. See the article by Moon.  Another article by Pei-Ching Hsiao.  His study used acute myeloid leukemia cells, finding pterostilbene induced apoptosis in cancer cells vIa mitochondrial pathways, (with activation of caspase system).  Another study by Alosi on Pterostilbene in Breast Cancer also showed similar findings with apoptosis induced by mitochondrial pathways.  Another more recent study by Wang in 2012 showed Pterostilbene induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in breast cancer cells.  See my previous article on this.


Mitochondria
Abov image : electron microscope image of normal mitochondria courtesy of NIH.

Methyl Jasmonate

Methyl Jasmonate has been studied and found to disassociate Hexokinase II from the outer mitochondria membrane (at the VDAC) thus inducing apoptosis in cancer cells.  Methyl jasmonate is ubiquitous in the plant world and found in the jasmine flower.  It is used extensively by the fragrance industry for perfumes, and is available as one of many Jasmine teas.(8,9,10)

Oroxylin A  -  Chinese Skullcap

Oroxylin A is found in Chinese skullcap a medicinal plant, Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi.  Researchers found Oroxylin A inhibits glycolysis and the binding of hexokinase II (HK II) with mitochondria in human breast carcinoma cell lines, thus inducing apoptosis (11,12)

Curcumin

Curcumin was studied by Dr Wang in an animal model of colorectal cancer showing Curcumin inhibits aerobic glycolysis and induces mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis through hexokinase II in human colorectal cancer cells in vitro. (13)(31)  Curcumin is available at the health food store.

Betulinic acid

Betulinic acid naturally occurs in the bark of white birch trees and triggers mitochondrial apoptosis in cancer cells while sparing normal cells (14)  Dr, Simone Fulda from Ulm Germany has written a number of important papers on targeting mitochondria in cancer cells with various drugs and natural compounds.  (14,15)

See: Targeting_Mitochondria_Cancer_Therapy_Fulda_Nature_2010

Berberine - Oregon Grape


Oregon_Grape_Berberine_Jeffrey_Dach_MDBerberine derived from the Oregon Grape plant is widely available as a botanical supplement at the health food store for blood sugar control.  Berberine also shows striking anti-cancer activity, inducing apoptosis via mitochondrial pathways in numerous studies.  Left Image Oregon Grape courtesy of wikimedia commons.(31,32)  See this 2014 review in Molecules,  Berberine as an "Epiphany Against Cancer". (32)

Artemesinin (Chinese Wormwood)

An anti-malarial Chinese herb, artemesia, has been found to have profound anti-cancer activity against multiple cancer cell lines. Studies show induction of apoptosis through mitochondrial pathways. Approximately 400 studies have been published in the scientific literature in recent years.
Click on this link: Artemisinin_anti-Cancer_Publications, for the list of publications. Click on this link for an excellent review:  Artemisinins_Krishna_Trends_Pharmacological_Science_2008


Vitamin K

Vitamin K has been available for many years with heath benefits in blood coagulation, bone density, and prevention of soft tissue calcification.   See my previous article on Vitamin K.  Another surprising benefit of Vitamin K is cancer prevention.  A number of cell culture and animal xenograft studies shows that vitamin K2 induces apoptosis, programmed cell death, in cancer cells.(18-26)  There were a number of different cancers studied including Glioblastoma, Hepatocellular Cancer, Lung Cancer, Prostate Cancer, etc.(18-26)  Based on these reports, one might suggest adding Vitamin K  to a supplement program for anyone seeking to prevent cancer, or cancer recurrence after treatment.

Buy Pterostilbene on Amazon
Buy  Artemisininon Amazon
Buy Berberine  on Amazon
Buy Curcumin (Pure)
Buy Vitamin K (Synergy K)

Articles with related interest:

Nicholas Gonzalez and the Trophoblast Theory of Cancer
Iodine Treats Breast Cancer Overwhelming Evidence
Cannabis Oil Brain Tumor Remission
Natural Treatments for Skin Cancer

Addendum: Selectively killing cancer cells leaving normal cells unharmed - apoptosis through mitochondrial pathways

Mebendazole - Re purposing Old Drugs as Anti-Cancer Agents:
Researchers screened 2000 drugs currently approved for human use for anti-cancer activity against virulent melanoma cancer cell lines. They discovered mebenzadole as the most promising agent.   "Mebendazole treatment induces apoptosis through the intrinsic and extrinsic (mitochondrial) pathways in melanoma cells but not in melanocytes... After treatment with 0.5 μmol/L mebendazole for 14 h, we observed overall microtubular network disarray in melan-a, M-14, and SK-Mel-19 cells, characterized by diffuse staining" .(33-37)
See: mebendazole metastatic colon cancer Nygren Acta Oncologica 2014

See Anti- Cancer Agents in Fruits and Vegetables:
Molecular targets of dietary agents prevention cancer aggarwal 2006
Jeffrey Dach MD
7450 Griffin Road Suite 190
Davie, Fl 33314
954-792-4663
link to this article:http://wp.me/p3gFbV-2p8

Links and References
1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24343361
Carcinogenesis. 2014 Mar;35(3):515-27.
Cancer as a metabolic disease: implications for novel therapeutics.
Seyfried TN1, Flores RE, Poff AM, D'Agostino DP.
1Biology Department, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA and.
Emerging evidence indicates that cancer is primarily a metabolic disease involving disturbances in energy production through respiration and fermentation. The genomic instability observed in tumor cells and all other recognized hallmarks of cancer are considered downstream epiphenomena of the initial disturbance of cellular energy metabolism. The disturbances in tumor cell energy metabolism can be linked to abnormalities in the structure and function of the mitochondria.
Cancer growth and progression can be managed following a whole body transition from fermentable metabolites, primarily glucose and glutamine, to respiratory metabolites, primarily ketone bodies.
2) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19703662
Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2009 Oct;41(10):2062-8.
Electron microscopy morphology of the mitochondrial network in human cancer.
Arismendi-Morillo G.
Mitochondria have been implicated in the process of carcinogenesis, which includes alterations of cellular metabolism and cell death pathways. The aim of this review is to describe and analyze the electron microscopy morphology of the mitochondrial network in human cancer. The structural mitochondrial alterations in human tumors are heterogeneous and not specific for any neoplasm. These findings could be representing an altered structural and functional mitochondrial network. The mitochondria in cancer cells, independently of histogenesis, predominantly are seen with lucent-swelling matrix associated with disarrangement and distortion of cristae and partial or total cristolysis and with condensed configuration in minor scale. Mitochondrial changes are associated with mitochondrial-DNA mutations, tumoral microenvironment conditions and mitochondrial fusion-fission disequilibrium.
Functionally, the structural alterations suppose the presence of hypoxia-tolerant and hypoxia-sensitive cancer cells. Possibly, hypoxia-tolerant cells are related with mitochondrial condensed appearance and are competent to produce adequate amount of ATP by mitochondrial respiration. Hypoxia-sensitive cells are linked with lucent-swelling and cristolysis mitochondria profile and have an inefficient or null oxidative phosphorylation, which consequently use the glycolytic pathway to generate energy. Additionally, mitochondrial fragmentation is associated with apoptosis; however, alterations in the mitochondrial network are linked with the reduction in sensitivity to apoptosis induces and/or pro-apoptotic conditions. Pharmacological approaches designed to act on both glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation can be considered as a new approach to selectively kill cancer cells.
3) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3311998/
Cancer Cell. Mar 20, 2012; 21(3): 297–308.
Metabolic Reprogramming: A Cancer Hallmark Even Warburg Did Not Anticipate
Patrick S. Ward1,2 and Craig B. Thompson1,*
4) Tumor_Cell_Metabolism_Cancers_Achilles_Heel_Kroemer_2008
Cancer Cell  Volume 13, Issue 6, 10 June 2008, Pages 472–482
Tumor Cell Metabolism: Cancer's Achilles' Heel by  Guido Kroemer
Jacques Pouyssegur
Ko and Pederson
5) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2714668/
Semin Cancer Biol. Feb 2009; 19(1): 17–24.
Hexokinase-2 bound to mitochondria: Cancer's stygian link to the “Warburg effect” and a pivotal target for effective therapy[star]
Saroj P. Mathupala, Young H. Ko, and Peter L. Pedersen
6) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2890051/
Biochim Biophys Acta. 2010 Jun–Jul; 1797(6-7): 1225–1230.
The Pivotal Roles of Mitochondria in Cancer: Warburg and Beyond and Encouraging Prospects for Effective Therapies
Saroj P. Mathupala,1 Young H. Ko,3 and Peter L. Pedersen*,2
7) http://www.thefreelibrary.com/War+on+cancer%3A+3BP+and+the+metabolic+approach+to+cancer%3A+a+visit+with...-a0332893717
Townsend Letter › June 1, 2013
War on cancer: 3BP and the metabolic approach to cancer: a visit with Peter Pedersen and Young Hee Ko
Methyl Jasmonate
8) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3933403/
Int J Cell Biol. 2014; 2014: 572097.
Methyl Jasmonate: Putative Mechanisms of Action on Cancer Cells Cycle, Metabolism, and Apoptosis
Italo Mario Cesari,* Erika Carvalho, Mariana Figueiredo Rodrigues, Bruna dos Santos Mendonça, Nivea Dias Amôedo, and Franklin David Rumjanek
Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular do Câncer, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Carlos Chagas Filho 373, Prédio CCS, Bloco E, Sala 22, Ilha do Fundão, Cidade Universitária, 21941-902 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
9) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24490857
Br J Pharmacol. 2014 Feb;171(3):618-35. doi: 10.1111/bph.12501.
Methyl jasmonate sensitizes human bladder cancer cells to gambogic acid-induced apoptosis through down-regulation of EZH2 expression by miR-101.  Wang Y1, Xiang W, Wang M, Huang T, Xiao X, Wang L, Tao D, Dong L, Zeng F, Jiang G.
Gambogic acid (GA) and methyl jasmonate (MJ) are increasingly being recognized as novel natural anticancer compounds. Here, we investigated the antitumour effects of GA in combination with MJ on human bladder cancer cells.
EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH:Cell viability was detected by cell counting kit-8 assay. Cell apoptosis was assessed by Hoechst 33258 staining and flow cytometry. Protein levels were determined by immunoblotting and expressions of mRNA and miRNAs by RT-PCR. Differential expressions of a group of downstream genes were identified using microarray analysis.
KEY RESULTS:MJ significantly sensitized bladder cancer cells to GA-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis while sparing normal fibroblasts. MJ enhanced GA-induced activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9, and down-regulated the expression of XIAP. Furthermore, treatment of bladder cancer cells with a combination of GA and MJ induced synergistic inhibition of the enhancer of zeste homologue 2 (EZH2) expression, whereas miR-101 expression was up-regulated. Conversely, knockdown of miR-101 restored this decreased expression of EZH2 and suppressed the inhibitory effect of GA and MJ on the growth of bladder cancer cells. Microarray analysis showed that genes closely associated with bladder cancer development were significantly down-regulated by GA and MJ. In a s.c. xenograft mouse model of human bladder carcinoma, the combination of GA and MJ exerted an increased antitumour effect compared with GA alone.
CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS:MJ sensitizes bladder cancer cells to GA-induced apoptosis by down-regulating the expression of EZH2 induced by miR-101. Thus, the combination of selective anti-cancer agents MJ and GA could provide a novel strategy for treating human bladder cancer.
10) http://www.phytotechlab.com/detail.aspx?ID=1176
METHYL JASMONATE Product ID: J389 Storage Temperature: 2 to 6°C
CAS Number: 39924-52-2
Description:  >95% Purity
Methyl Jasmonate (MeJA) is a key signaling hormone associated with necrotropic/herbivore stress which affects plant defense responses as well as growth and development
MeJA, 2-Pentenylcyclopentanone-3-acetic acid, Methyl 3-oxo-2-(pent-2-enyl)cyclopentaneacetate
Form: Liquid
Formula: C13H20O3
FW: 224.3
Solubility: Miscible with EtOH
Plant Tissue Culture Tested
Tariff Code: 2918.30.9000
BEFORE ORDERING PLEASE NOTE:
THIS PRODUCT, LIKE ALL PRODUCTS FROM PHYTOTECH LABS, IS FOR RESEARCH USE ONLY. WE CANNOT SELL TO CUSTOMERS WHO INTEND TO USE METHYL JASMONATE FOR HUMAN USE.
This product cannot be shipped to residential addresses; only shipments to bona fide research institutions and companies will be accepted.
---------------------------------
Oroxylin A
11) http://www.nature.com/cddis/journal/v4/n4/full/cddis2013131a.html
Cell Death and Disease (2013) 4, e601
Oroxylin A induces dissociation of hexokinase II from the mitochondria and inhibits glycolysis by SIRT3-mediated deacetylation of cyclophilin D in breast carcinoma by L Wei1,2, Y Zhou1,2, Q Dai1, C Qiao1, L Zhao1, H Hui1, N Lu1 and Q-L Guo1
1State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Department of Physiology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, The People’s Republic of China
Correspondence: Q-L Guo or N Lu, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Intervention, Department of Physiology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, The People’s Republic of China.
Oroxylin A is a major active component of the Chinese traditional medicinal plant Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, which has been reported as a potential anticancer drug. We demonstrated that, Oroxylin A inhibited the glycolysis and the binding of hexokinase II (HK II) with mitochondria in human breast carcinoma cell lines, which was dependent on sirtuin-3 (SIRT3). The level of SIRT3 in mitochondria was increased by Oroxylin A. Then SIRT3 deacetylated cyclophilin D, diminished its peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase activity and induced its dissociation from the adenine nucleotide translocator. Finally, SIRT3-induced inactivation of cyclophilin D resulted in the detachment of mitochondrial HK II and the inhibition of glycolysis. These results have important implications for the metabolism reprogramming effect and the susceptibility to Oroxylin A-induced mitochondrial cytotoxicity through the regulation of SIRT3 in breast carcinoma.
12) http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jcp.24833/abstract
Qiao, Chen, et al. "UCP2‐related mitochondrial pathway participates in oroxylin A‐induced apoptosis in human colon cancer cells." Journal of cellular physiology (2014).
Oroxylin A is a flavonoid extracted from the root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi. Our previous research demonstrated that oroxylin A have various anti-tumor effects including apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, drug-resistant reversion and others. This paper explores the mechanism how oroxylin A induce apoptosis by regulating uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) in human colon cancer cells.
We found that the inhibition of UCP2 by UCP2 siRNA significantly increased the sensitivity of cells to drugs, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and the opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) of CaCo-2 cells. We also found that UCP2 inhibition could lead to ROS-mediated MPTP activation. Furthermore, we demonstrated that oroxylin A triggered MPTP-dependent pro-apoptotic protein release from mitochondria to matrix and then induced apoptotic cascade by inhibiting UCP2. Intriguingly, the inhibition of UCP2 by oroxylin A was able to block Bcl-2 translocation to the mitochondria, keeping MPTP at open-state. In conclusion, we have demonstrate that UCP2 play a key role in mitochondrial apoptotic pathway; UCP2's inhibition by oroxylin A triggers the MPTP opening, and promotes the apoptosis in CaCo-2 cells.
Curcumin
13) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25229889
Anticancer Drugs. 2014 Sep 16. [Epub ahead of print]
Curcumin inhibits aerobic glycolysis and induces mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis through hexokinase II in human colorectal cancer cells in vitro.
Wang K1, Fan H, Chen Q, Ma G, Zhu M, Zhang X, Zhang Y, Yu J.
1aJiangsu Institute of Cancer Research bJiangsu Research Institute of Geriatrics, Nanjing, China.
Curcumin, the major pigment of the dietary spice turmeric, has the potential for chemoprevention by promotion of apoptosis. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of curcumin in glycolytic inhibition and apoptotic induction in human colorectal cancer HCT116 and HT29 cells. On the one hand, curcumin downregulated the expression and activity of hexokinase II (HKII) in HCT116 and HT29 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, but had little effect on the other key glycolytic enzymes (PFK, PGM, and LDH).
On the other, curcumin induced dissociation of HKII from the mitochondria, resulting in mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis. Furthermore, the phosphorylation of mitochondrial HKII through AKT was responsible for the curcumin-induced dissociation of HKII, which was different from the mechanism of HKII inhibitor 3-BrPA. These results have important implications for the metabolism reprogramming effect and the susceptibility to curcumin-induced mitochondrial cytotoxicity through the regulation of HKII, and provide a molecular basis for the development of naturally compounds as novel anticancer agents for colorectal carcinoma.
14) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20486070
Planta Med. 2010 Aug;76(11):1075-9.
Modulation of apoptosis by natural products for cancer therapy.
Fulda S1. Children's Hospital, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.
15) Targeting_Mitochondria_Cancer_Therapy_Fulda_Nature_2010
Fulda, Simone, Lorenzo Galluzzi, and Guido Kroemer. "Targeting mitochondria for cancer therapy." Nature reviews Drug discovery 9.6 (2010): 447-464.
Mitochondria are the cells’ powerhouse, but also their suicidal weapon store.
Dozens of lethal signal transduction pathways converge on mitochondria to cause the permeabilization of the mitochondrial outer membrane, leading to the cytosolic release of pro-apoptotic proteins and to the impairment of the bioenergetic functions of mitochondria.
The mitochondrial metabolism of cancer cells is deregulated owing to the use of  glycolytic  intermediates, which are normally destined for oxidative phosphorylation, in anabolic reactions. Activation of the cell death machinery in cancer cells by inhibiting tumour-specific alterations of the mitochondrial metabolism or by stimulating mitochondrial membrane permeabilization could therefore be promising therapeutic approaches.
16) Mitochondrial_inhibitors_cancer_therapy_Pharmaceutical_Ramsay_2011 Ramsay, Emma E., Philip J. Hogg, and Pierre J. Dilda. "Mitochondrial metabolism inhibitors for cancer therapy." Pharmaceutical research 28.11 (2011): 2731-2744.
 
17) Mitochondrial_permeability_target_anticancer_Dalla_2014  Dalla Via, Lisa, et al. "Mitochondrial permeability transition as target of anticancer drugs." Current pharmaceutical design 20.2 (2014): 223-244.
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18) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16400650
Cancer. 2006 Feb 15;106(4):867-72.
The effect of menatetrenone, a vitamin K2 analog, on disease recurrence and survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after curative treatment: a pilot study. Mizuta T1, Ozaki I, Eguchi Y, Yasutake T, Kawazoe S, Fujimoto K, Yamamoto K. 1Department of Internal Medicine, Saga Medical School, Japan.
19)http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23505456
PLoS One. 2013;8(3)  Postoperative use of the chemopreventive vitamin K2 analog in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Zhong JH1, Mo XS, Xiang BD, Yuan WP, Jiang JF, Xie GS, Li LQ. 1Hepatobiliary Surgery Department, Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, People’s Republic of China.
20)  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16010434
Int J Oncol. 2005 Aug;27(2):505-11.
Vitamins K2, K3 and K5 exert in vivo antitumor effects on hepatocellular carcinoma by regulating the expression of G1 phase-related cell cycle molecules.
Kuriyama S1, Hitomi M, Yoshiji H, Nonomura T, Tsujimoto T, Mitoro A, Akahane
21) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15508263
Acta Neurol Belg. 2004 Sep;104(3):106-10.
Comparison of vitamins K1, K2 and K3 effects on growth of rat glioma and human glioblastoma multiforme cells in vitro. Oztopçu P1, Kabadere S, Mercangoz A, Uyar R. 1Osmangazi University Art and Sciences Faculty Department of Biology, Eskişehir, Türkiye.
22) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19424596
Int J Mol Med. 2009 Jun;23(6):709-16.
Growth inhibitory effects of vitamin K2 on colon cancer cell lines via different types of cell death including autophagy and apoptosis.  Kawakita H1, Tsuchida A, Miyazawa K, Naito M, Shigoka M, Kyo B, Enomoto M, Wada T, Katsumata K, Ohyashiki K, Itoh M, Tomoda A, Aoki T.  1Third Department of Surgery, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
23) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12888897
Int J Oncol. 2003 Sep;23(3):627-32.
Apoptosis induction of vitamin K2 in lung carcinoma cell lines: the possibility of vitamin K2 therapy for lung cancer.  Yoshida T1, Miyazawa K, Kasuga I, Yokoyama T, Minemura K, Ustumi K, Aoshima M, Ohyashiki K.      1First Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan.
24) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19929921
J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2010 Apr;25(4):738-44. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2009.06085.x. Epub 2009 Nov 19. Naturally occurring K vitamins inhibit pancreatic cancer cell survival through a caspase-dependent pathway. Showalter SL1, Wang Z, Costantino CL, Witkiewicz AK, Yeo CJ, Brody JR, Carr BI.     1Department of Surgery, Jefferson Center for Pancreatic, Biliary and Related Cancers, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
25) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17611688
Int J Oncol. 2007 Aug;31(2):323-31.
Vitamins K2, K3 and K5 exert antitumor effects on established colorectal cancer in mice by inducing apoptotic death of tumor cells.  Ogawa M1, Nakai S, Deguchi A, Nonomura T, Masaki T, Uchida N, Yoshiji H, Kuriyama S.
26) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23875252
Pharmazie. 2013 Jun;68(6):442-8.
Vitamin K4 induces tumor cytotoxicity in human prostate carcinoma PC-3 cells via the mitochondria-related apoptotic pathway.
Jiang Y1, Yang J, Yang C, Meng F, Zhou Y, Yu B, Khan M, Yang H.
1School of Life Sciences, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Drug Discovery, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, PR China.
Xian, Shu-Lin, et al. "." Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention: APJCP 15.7 (2014): 3175.
 
28) Chen, Zhao, et al. "Role of mitochondria-associated hexokinase II in cancer cell death induced by 3-bromopyruvate." Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)-Bioenergetics 1787.5 (2009): 553-560.
 
29)
Jasmonate pharmaceutical composition for treatment of cancer
United States Patent 6469061
Inventors:
Flescher, Eliezer (Hod Hasharon, IL)
Fingrut, Orit (Kfar-Sava, IL)
Application Number: 09/825347
Publication Date: 10/22/2002
Filing Date: 04/04/2001
 
30) Methyl Jasmonate: A New Treatment for B-CLL?.
Alain Berrebi, MD1, Lucette Bassous1,*, Rinat Borenshtain, PhD2,* and Eliezer Flescher, PhD3,*  1 Hematology, Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot, Israel; 2 Sepal Pharma, Nes Ziona, Israel and 3 Immunology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
 
CEO Dr. Frederic Revah, PhD
Sepal Pharma, Nes Ziona
Registered Office P.O.Box: 333
Ness Ziona, 74103  Israel
Tel. 08-9302088
Web Site http://www.sepalpharma.com
 
31) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3693477/
Aggarwal, Bharat, et al. "Prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer by natural agents from Mother Nature." Current colorectal cancer reports 9.1 (2013): 37-56.
 
Guamán Ortiz, Luis Miguel, et al. "Berberine, an Epiphany Against Cancer." Molecules 19.8 (2014): 12349-12367.
 
Anti-Parasitic Drug Vermox  (mebendazole)
 
Nygren, Peter, and Rolf Larsson. "Drug repositioning from bench to bedside: Tumour remission by the antihelmintic drug mebendazole in refractory metastatic colon cancer." Acta Oncologica 53.3 (2014): 427-428.
 
34) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4096024/
Pantziarka, Pan et al. “Repurposing Drugs in Oncology (ReDO)—mebendazole as an Anti-Cancer Agent.” ecancermedicalscience 8 (2014): 443. PMC. Web. 13 Jan. 2015.
 
Doudican, Nicole, et al. "Mebendazole induces apoptosis via Bcl-2 inactivation in chemoresistant melanoma cells." Molecular Cancer Research 6.8 (2008): 1308-1315.
 
36)  http://neuro-oncology.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2011/07/14/neuonc.nor077.full   Bai, Ren-Yuan, et al. "Antiparasitic mebendazole shows survival benefit in 2 preclinical models of glioblastoma multiforme." Neuro-oncology (2011): nor077.
 
37)Mebendazole metastatic adrenocortical carcinoma Dobrosotskaya Endocrine practice 2011 Dobrosotskaya, I. Y., et al. "Mebendazole monotherapy and long-term disease control in metastatic adrenocortical carcinoma." Endocrine practice: official journal of the American College of Endocrinology and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists 17.3 (2011): e59.
 
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The War on Cancer A Progress Report for Skeptics
Reynold Spector . Volume 34.1, January / February 2010
War on Cancer SourceWatch
As War On Cancer Hits 25-Year Mark, Scientists See Progress, Challenges... It's 25 years and counting since President Richard Nixon signed the National Cancer Act on Dec. 23, 1971, marking the United States' official declaration of war on cancer. The act provided funding to establish medical centers dedicated to clinical research and cancer treatment under the auspices of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Yet, after an estimated $28 billion spent to find cures and better treatments for the dreaded disease, the war is far from over. By Steven Benowitz | December 9, 1996
Jeffrey Dach MD
7450 Griffin Road, Suite 190
Davie, Fl 33314
954-792-4663
http://www.jeffreydachmd.com
http://www.drdach.com
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Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Cancer Immunotherapy with Dr Yamamoto's MAF

 
Restoring the Immune System
 
by Jeffrey Dach MD
 
This article is part two of a series
 
 
Left Image Breast Cancer (red arrow) on PET and CAT scans  Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
 
In part one of this series, we discussed a mouse with innate immunity to cancer by virtue of its immune cells which kill the cancer cells as if they were any other microbial invader.  In this article, part two, we will expand on this idea by exploring the work of Dr. Yamamoto who discovered the Macrophage Activating Factor (GcMAF) in 1990 at the Socrates Institute in Philadelphia. (4)  Since then, Dr. Yamamoto has published three human clinical trials showing remarkable results for breast(5), colo-rectal (10) and prostate cancer(11).
 
What is MAF – Macrophage Activating Factor?
 
MAF is a protein which activates our macrophages, the microscopic white cells that kill invading microbes and cancer cells.  MAF is made from a precursor protein called the Gc protein.

Brain Metastasis From Breas tCancer
Cancer is Clever- It Inactivates Our Immune System
 
In a way, cancer cells are clever little devils because they disable our immune system, in order to enhance their own survival.  Dr. Yamamoto discovered that cancer cells do this by secreting an enzyme called Nagalase which prevents the precursor protein Gc from being converted to MAF.  This Nagalase enzyme activity can actually be measured in cancer patients, and greater tumor burden corresponds with higher Nagalase enzyme activity (as one would expect).  Elimination of the tumor results in reduction of Nagalase activity to lower, more normal values.. (5)  
 
Left Image: CAT SCan Brain Showing enhancing metastatic lesions from breast cacner primary. Courtesy of wikimedia commons.
 
Dr. Yamamoto devised a technique for restoring Gc protein activity which creates the most potent macrophage activating factor ever discovered, having no adverse effects.  He called it  GcMAF.  Macrophages treated in vitro with GcMAF (100 pg/ml) are highly effective at killing breast cancer cells.
 
GcMAF for Metastatic Breast Cancer-Human Trial
 
Dr. Yamamoto then studied his GcMAF in human metastatic breast cancer patients with weekly injections of  100 ng of GcMAF .(5)   Dr. Yamamoto found that over time, as treatment with GcMAF  progresses, the MAF precursor activity of patient Gc protein increased, and the serum Nagalase decreased.(5).  After 5 months of weekly GcMAF injections , the cancer patients elevated Nagalase activity had returned to normal levels, same as healthy controls.  Over the next four years, these sixteen treated metastatic Breast Cancer patients remained cancer free with no recurrence.(5)   In 2008, Dr Yamamoto published his landmark study on human breast cancer.(5)
 
Apple_Core_Colon_Cancer_Barium_Enema_GcMAFGcMAF for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer – Human Trial

Left Image  Red Arrow poiint to Colon Cancer with Apple Core Lesion on Barium Enema Xray courtesy of Radiopedia.org.
 
In 2008, Yamamoto published his study  on 8 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer .  They all had significant metastatic disease after primary resection.(10)  Nagalase activity fell to normal levels with GcMAF injections, and remained low with no cancer recurrence over 7 years of observation.  This was supported by serial CAT scans that remained negative.
 
Prostate Cancer Osseous Mets RadiopediaGcMAF for Metastatic Prostate Cancer – Human Trial
 
Left image: Prostate Cancer Bone Mets (Red Arrow)courtesy of Radiopedia.org
 
Dr. Yamamoto studied GcMAF in 16 patients with metastatic prostate cancer with excellent  results,  Nagalase activity declined to normal, and there was no evidence of tumor recurrence over 7 years of observation. (10)
 
 
“Sixteen nonanemic prostate cancer patients received weekly administration of 100 ng of GcMAF. As the MAF precursor activity increased, their serum Nagalase activity decreased. Because serum Nagalase activity is proportional to tumor burden, the entire time course analysis for GcMAF therapy was monitored by measuring the serum Nagalase activity. After 14 to 25 weekly administrations of GcMAF (100 ng/week), all 16 patients had very low serum Nagalase levels equivalent to those of healthy control values, indicating that these patients are tumor-free. No recurrence occurred for 7 years.”quote from abstract of 2008 paper(10)
Dr Toshio Inui, MD.Saisei Mirai Kobe Japan GcMAF for Cancer

The Saisei Mirai Clinic in Kobe Japan

Left Image: Dr Toshio Inui, MD.established Saisei Mirai Clinic in Kobe In 2010.

Toshio Inui, MD of the Saisei Mirai Clinic in Kobe Japan has treated over 345 patients with GcMAF combined with other modalities, and reports his results in  Anticancer Research July 2013 (2,3)
At the Saisei Mirai clinic, Dr. Inui treats cancer patients  with GcMAF immunotherapy in combination with other related therapies, such  intravenous vitamin C, alpha lipoic acid, hyperthermia, and LDN (low dose naltrexone)
 
Dr Inui says his results are mixed, and describes his treatment as “hopeful”  He presents three cases in which treatment was remarkably effective:
 
Quoted from Anticancer Research.(3)
 
Patient 1. A 71-year-old man was diagnosed with thymic carcinoma with lung metastasis. The patient received 24 weeks of the integrative immunotherapy. No progression of the cancer was found 12 months after completion of the therapy.
Patient 2. A 74-year-old man was diagnosed with prostate cancer with multiple bone metastases. He received 12 weeks of the integrative immunotherapy combined with hyperthermia therapy. Bone scintigram results nine months after initiation of the therapy were normal and metastatic tumors had disappeared.
Patient 3. A 72-year-old woman was diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer after sigmoidectomy and bilateral oophorectomy. She received 24 weeks of the integrative immunotherapy combined with 55 Gy of radiation. There was no evidence of local recurrence or metastatic disease on Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Computed Tomography (CT) scans 12 months after initiation of the therapy.

Conclusion:  The information is now overwhelming that cancer immunotherapy with GcMAF  is highly effective with no adverse effects.  The National Institute of Health (NIH) has wasted billions on ineffective treatments in the “War Against Cancer” started by Nixon. in the 1970′s.  I propose allocating a billion dollars of  NIH funding for research on  GcMAF immunotherapy.  Do you think this would win the war and give us a CURE FOR CANCER? You Betcha.
 
Articles with Related Interest: The GcMAF Book by Tim Smith MD
 
Jeffrey Dach MD
 
This article is part two of a series
For Part One, Click Here

Links and References
 
1) http://www.saisei-mirai.or.jp/gan/macrophage_eng.html
GcMAF (Gc Protein derived Macrophage Activating Factor) For the treatment for cancer, HIV and immune system diseases.
<<<<<<<<<<  image  >>>>>>>>>
Dr Toshio Inui, MD.
Graduated from Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine in 1978.
At the age of 33, after gaining experience working in the internal medicine department at a general hospital as a physician, he established Inui Clinic for the treatment of internal diseases.
He soon came to develop a reputation for careful and heartwarming medical examinations which made him popular with patients.
After the loss of his father due to cancer, he came to realize the limitations of conventional therapies for cancer such as surgery, chemothearapy anticancer drugs and radiation therapy, and he started his new practice specializing in immunotherapy for cancer. He also changed his clinic name to Inui Immunotherapy Cancer Clinic.
In 2010 he established Saisei Mirai Clinic in Kobe  pdf file:
2012 Nature
2) nGcMAF: our next generation immunotherapy in nature-outlook-saisei-mirai
by Uto, Yoshihiro, Hitoshi Hori, Kentaro Kubo, Masamitsu Ichihashi, Norihiro Sakamoto, Martin Mette, Toshio Inui, and Trade Center.  Nature 485 (2012): S67-S70.
2013 By March 2013, Saisei Mirai have treated over 345 patients with GcMAF
3) http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/33/7/2917.long
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23780980
Anticancer Res. 2013 Jul;33(7):2917-9.
Clinical Experience of Integrative Cancer Immunotherapy with GcMAF.
Inui T, Kuchiike D, Kubo K, Mette M, Uto Y, Hori H, Sakamoto N.
Division of Food and Drug Evaluation Science, Department of Community Medicine and Social Healthcare Science, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0017,
Japan.Immunotherapy has become an attractive new strategy in the treatment of cancer. The laboratory and clinical study of cancer immunotherapy is rapidly advancing. However, in the clinical setting, the results of cancer immunotherapy are mixed. We therefore contend that cancer immunotherapy should be customized to each patient individually based on their immune status and propose an integrative immunotherapy approach with second-generation group-specific component macrophage activating factor (GcMAF)-containing human serum.
PATIENTS AND METHODS:The standard protocol of our integrative cancer immunotherapy is as follows: i) 0.5 ml GcMAF-containing human serum is administered intramuscularly or subcutaneously once or twice per week for the duration of cancer therapy until all cancer cells are eradicated; ii) hyper T/natural killer (NK) cell therapy is given once per week for six weeks; iii) high-dose vitamin C is administered intravenously twice per week; iv) alpha lipoic acid (600 mg) is administered orally daily; v) vitamin D3 (5,000-10,000 IU) is administered orally daily.
RESULTS:By March 2013, Saisei Mirai have treated over 345 patients with GcMAF. Among them we here present the cases of three patients for whom our integrative immunotherapy was remarkably effective.
CONCLUSION:The results of our integrative immunotherapy seem hopeful. We also plan to conduct a comparative clinical study.>
4) http://gcmafconference.org/about-gcmaf-conference.html
It is our immune system that prevents and destroys disease
The first research was done in 1990 by Dr Yamamoto in Philadelphia; and since then 59 research papers have been published by 142 scientists proving that GcMAF is a vital part of the immune system. Chronic diseases succeed by preventing production of your own GcMAF, which collapses your immune system. When administered externally, GcMAF rebuilds the immune system, and the immune system then eradicates early stage cancer and other diseases.
2008 metastatic breast cancer patients Yamamoto
5) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17935130
Int J Cancer. 2008 Jan 15;122(2):461-7.
Immunotherapy of metastatic breast cancer patients with vitamin D-binding protein-derived macrophage activating factor (GcMAF).by  Yamamoto N, Suyama H, Yamamoto N, Ushijima N.  Division of Cancer Immunology and Molecular Biology, Socrates Institute for Therapeutic Immunology, Philadelphia, PA 19126-3305, USA.
Serum vitamin D3-binding protein (Gc protein) is the precursor for the principal macrophage activating factor (MAF). The MAF precursor activity of serum Gc protein of breast cancer patients was lost or reduced because Gc protein was deglycosylated by serum alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase (Nagalase) secreted from cancerous cells. Patient serum Nagalase activity is proportional to tumor burden. The deglycosylated Gc protein cannot be converted to MAF, resulting in no macrophage activation and immunosuppression. Stepwise incubation of purified Gc protein with immobilized beta-galactosidase and sialidase generated probably the most potent macrophage activating factor (termed GcMAF) ever discovered, which produces no adverse effect in humans. Macrophages treated in vitro with GcMAF (100 pg/ml) are highly tumoricidal to mammary adenocarcinomas.
Efficacy of GcMAF for treatment of metastatic breast cancer was investigated with 16 nonanemic patients who received weekly administration of GcMAF (100 ng). As GcMAF therapy progresses, the MAF precursor activity of patient Gc protein increased with a concomitant decrease in serum Nagalase.
Because of proportionality of serum Nagalase activity to tumor burden, the time course progress of GcMAF therapy was assessed by serum Nagalase activity as a prognostic index. These patients had the initial Nagalase activities ranging from 2.32 to 6.28 nmole/min/mg protein. After about 16-22 administrations (approximately 3.5-5 months) of GcMAF, these patients had insignificantly low serum enzyme levels equivalent to healthy control enzyme levels, ranging from 0.38 to 0.63 nmole/min/mg protein, indicating eradication of the tumors. This therapeutic procedure resulted in no recurrence for more than 4 years.
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2012 Italy human breast cancer cells.
6)http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/32/1/45.long
Anticancer Res. 2012 Jan;32(1):45-52.
Effects of vitamin D-binding protein-derived macrophage-activating factor on human breast cancer cells.  Pacini S, Punzi T, Morucci G, Gulisano M, Ruggiero M.
Department of Anatomy, Histology and Forensic Medicine, Viale Morgagni 85, University of Firenze, Italy.
Searching for additional therapeutic tools to fight breast cancer, we investigated the effects of vitamin D-binding protein-derived macrophage activating factor (DBP-MAF, also known as GcMAF) on a human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7).
MATERIALS AND METHODS:The effects of DBP-MAF on proliferation, morphology, vimentin expression and angiogenesis were studied by cell proliferation assay, phase-contrast microscopy, immunohistochemistry and western blotting, and chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay.
RESULTS:DBP-MAF inhibited human breast cancer cell proliferation and cancer cell-stimulated angiogenesis. MCF-7 cells treated with DBP-MAF predominantly grew in monolayer and appeared to be well adherent to each other and to the well surface. Exposure to DBP-MAF significantly reduced vimentin expression, indicating a reversal of the epithelial/mesenchymal transition, a hallmark of human breast cancer progression.
CONCLUSION:These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the known anticancer efficacy of DBP-MAF can be ascribed to different biological properties of the molecule that include inhibition of tumour-induced angiogenesis and direct inhibition of cancer cell proliferation, migration and metastatic potential.
2013  MAF itself inhibits prostate cancer cells in absence of MAcrophages
7) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2956649/
PLoS One. 2010 Oct 18;5(10):e13428. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0013428.
Vitamin D binding protein-macrophage activating factor directly inhibits proliferation, migration, and uPAR expression of prostate cancer cells.by  Gregory KJ, Zhao B, Bielenberg DR, Dridi S, Wu J, Jiang W, Huang B, Pirie-Shepherd S, Fannon M.Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
Vitamin D binding protein-macrophage activating factor (DBP-maf) is a potent inhibitor of tumor growth. Its activity, however, has been attributed to indirect mechanisms such as boosting the immune response by activating macrophages and inhibiting the blood vessel growth necessary for the growth of tumors.
METHODS AND FINDINGS:In this study we show for the first time that DBP-maf exhibits a direct and potent effect on prostate tumor cells in the absence of macrophages. DBP-maf demonstrated inhibitory activity in proliferation studies of both LNCaP and PC3 prostate cancer cell lines as well as metastatic clones of these cells. Flow cytometry studies with annexin V and propidium iodide showed that this inhibitory activity is not due to apoptosis or cell death. DBP-maf also had the ability to inhibit migration of prostate cancer cells in vitro. Finally, DBP-maf was shown to cause a reduction in urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) expression in prostate tumor cells. There is evidence that activation of this receptor correlates with tumor metastasis.CONCLUSIONS:These studies show strong inhibitory activity of DBP-maf on prostate tumor cells independent of its macrophage activation.
2012 Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Mouse Model
8) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20855083
J Surg Res. 2012 Jan;172(1):116-22.
Vitamin D binding protein-macrophage activating factor inhibits HCC in SCID mice.
Nonaka K, Onizuka S, Ishibashi H, Uto Y, Hori H, Nakayama T, Matsuura N, Kanematsu T, Fujioka H.Clinical Research Center, National Hospital Organization Nagasaki Medical Center, Department of Hepatology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Omura, Japan.
A high incidence of recurrence after treatment is the most serious problem in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Therefore, a new strategy for the treatment of the disease is needed. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether vitamin D binding protein-macrophage activating factor (DBP-maf) is able to inhibit the growth of HCC.The effects of DBP-maf on endothelial cells and macrophage were evaluated by WST-1 assay and phagocytosis assay, respectively. Human HCC cells (HepG2) were implanted into the dorsum of severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice. These mice were divided into control and DBP-maf treatment groups (n = 10/group). The mice in the treatment group received 40 ng/kg/d of DBP-maf for 21 d.
RESULTS:DBP-maf showed anti-proliferative activity against endothelial cells and also activated phagocytosis by macrophages. DBP-maf inhibited the growth of HCC cells (treatment group: 126 ± 18mm(3), untreated group: 1691.5 ± 546.9mm(3), P = 0.0077).
Histologic examinations of the tumors revealed the microvessel density was reduced and more macrophage infiltration was demonstrated in the tumor of mice in the treatment group.
CONCLUSION:DBP-maf has at least two novel functions, namely, an anti-angiogenic activity and tumor killing activity through the activation of macrophages. DBP-maf may therefore represent a new strategy for the treatment of HCC.
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Bill Sardi Article
Real Help for Cancer? by Bill Sardi and Timothy HubbellThe weekly injection of just 100 billionths of a gram of a harmless glyco-protein (a naturally-produced molecule with a sugar component and a protein component) activates the human immune system and cures cancer for good, according to human studies among breast cancer and colon cancer patients, producing complete remissions lasting 4 and 7 years respectively. This glyco-protein cure is totally without side effect but currently goes unused by cancer doctors..
Normal Gc protein (also called vitamin D binding protein), an abundant glyco-protein found in human blood serum, becomes the molecular switch to activate macrophages when it is converted to its active form, called Gc macrophage activating factor (Gc-MAF). Gc protein is normally activated by conversion to Gc-MAF with the help of the B and T cells (bone marrow-made and thymus gland-made white blood cells).
But, as researchers explain it themselves, cancer cells secrete an enzyme known as alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase (also called Nagalase) that completely blocks conversion of Gc protein to Gc-MAF, preventing tumor-cell killing by the macrophages.
This is the way cancer cells escape detection and destruction, by disengaging the human immune system. This also leaves cancer patients prone to infections and many then succumb to pneumonia or other infections.
The once-weekly injection of minute amounts of Gc-MAF, just 100 nanograms (billionths of a gram), activates macrophages and allows the immune system to pursue cancer cells with vigor, sufficient to produce total long-term cures in humans.Nobuto Yamamoto, director of the Division of Cancer Immunology and Molecular Biology, Socrates Institute for Therapeutic Immunology, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, says this is “probably the most potent macrophage activating factor ever discovered.”–
2008 – Yamamoto Prostate Cancer Human Trial Free Full Text
free full text
Transl Oncol. 2008 Jul;1(2):65-72.
Immunotherapy for Prostate Cancer with Gc Protein-Derived Macrophage-Activating Factor, GcMAF.by Yamamoto N, Suyama H, Yamamoto N. Source  Division of Cancer Immunology and Molecular Biology, Socrates Institute for Therapeutic Immunology, Philadelphia, PA
Abstract  Serum Gc protein (known as vitamin D(3)-binding protein) is the precursor for the principal macrophage-activating factor (MAF). The MAF precursor activity of serum Gc protein of prostate cancer patients was lost or reduced because Gc protein was deglycosylated by serum alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase (Nagalase) secreted from cancerous cells. Therefore, macrophages of prostate cancer patients having deglycosylated Gc protein cannot be activated, leading to immunosuppression. Stepwise treatment of purified Gc protein with immobilized beta-galactosidase and sialidase generated the most potent MAF (termed GcMAF) ever discovered, which produces no adverse effect in humans. Macrophages activated by GcMAF develop a considerable variation of receptors that recognize the abnormality in malignant cell surface and are highly tumoricidal. Sixteen nonanemic prostate cancer patients received weekly administration of 100 ng of GcMAF. As the MAF precursor activity increased, their serum Nagalase activity decreased. Because serum Nagalase activity is proportional to tumor burden, the entire time course analysis for GcMAF therapy was monitored by measuring the serum Nagalase activity. After 14 to 25 weekly administrations of GcMAF (100 ng/week), all 16 patients had very low serum Nagalase levels equivalent to those of healthy control values, indicating that these patients are tumor-free. No recurrence occurred for 7 years.Prostatic cancer diagnosis and prognosis have been aided by the availability of PSA measurement .  When patients received radical prostatectomy, a sudden drop of high PSA levels to very low values was observed (Table 1). Thus, PSA is predominantly produced from primary tumor lesions in prostate compared with the metastasized lesions. Although serum Nagalase decreased during GcMAF therapy of patients with tumor-bearing prostate, PSA remained unchanged (Table 3). Therefore, PSA values cannot be used for prognostic assays during GcMAF therapy.2008 Yamamoto Human Trial GCMAF in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
11) Yamamoto, Immunotherapy of metastatic colorectal Can Imm Imm 2008
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18058096
Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2008 Jul;57(7):1007-16.
Immunotherapy of metastatic colorectal cancer with vitamin D-binding protein-derived macrophage-activating factor, GcMAF. by Yamamoto N, Suyama H, Nakazato H, Yamamoto N, Koga Y.  Division of Cancer Immunology and Molecular Immunology, Socrates Institute for Therapeutic Immunology, 1040, 66th Ave, Philadelphia,
Serum vitamin D binding protein (Gc protein) is the precursor for the principal macrophage-activating factor (MAF). The MAF precursor activity of serum Gc protein of colorectal cancer patients was lost or reduced because Gc protein is deglycosylated by serum alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase (Nagalase) secreted from cancerous cells. Deglycosylated Gc protein cannot be converted to MAF, leading to immunosuppression. Stepwise treatment of purified Gc protein with immobilized beta-galactosidase and sialidase generated the most potent macrophage-activating factor (GcMAF) ever discovered, but it produces no side effect in humans. Macrophages treated with GcMAF (100 microg/ml) develop an enormous variation of receptors and are highly tumoricidal to a variety of cancers indiscriminately. Administration of 100 nanogram (ng)/ human maximally activates systemic macrophages that can kill cancerous cells. Since the half-life of the activated macrophages is approximately 6 days, 100 ng GcMAF was administered weekly to eight nonanemic colorectal cancer patients who had previously received tumor-resection but still carried significant amounts of metastatic tumor cells.
As GcMAF therapy progressed, the MAF precursor activities of all patients increased and conversely their serum Nagalase activities decreased. Since serum Nagalase is proportional to tumor burden, serum Nagalase activity was used as a prognostic index for time course analysis of GcMAF therapy. After 32-50 weekly administrations of 100 ng GcMAF, all colorectal cancer patients exhibited healthy control levels of the serum Nagalase activity, indicating eradication of metastatic tumor cells. During 7 years after the completion of GcMAF therapy, their serum Nagalase activity did not increase, indicating no recurrence of cancer, which was also supported by the annual CT scans of these patients.
Jeffrey Dach MD
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Disclaimer click here: http://www.drdach.com/wst_page20.html
The reader is advised to discuss the comments on these pages with his/her personal physicians and to only act upon the advice of his/her personal physician. Also note that concerning an answer which appears as an electronically posted question, I am NOT creating a physician — patient relationship. Although identities will remain confidential as much as possible, as I can not control the media,
I can not take responsibility for any breaches of confidentiality that may occur.

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Copyright (c) 2009-2013 Jeffrey Dach MD All Rights Reserved. This article may be reproduced on the internet without permission, provided there is a link to this page and proper credit is given.
FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of issues of significance. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.