Angel Jonathan Ruiz Moreno is the first student of the Faculty of Medicine to obtain a double doctorate with the UNAM-University of Groningen Agreement. His research means a watershed for the development of molecules against the CD44 protein. Involved in the progression and malignancy of some types of cancer, especially breast and colon cancers, and thus stop or inhibit some cancerous processes.
Molecules were designed using computational strategies
Molecules against cancer:
Ruiz Moreno explains that “although the function of this protein in cancer is known, there are still no molecules developed against it. It is something very interesting because there are no commercial antibodies, and this has to do with the fact that the protein is difficult to attack. Since its main ligand is hyaluronic acid. Which is an essential component of the extracellular matrix and is a molecule highly exposed to solvent. From a drug development and design point of view, working with molecules highly exposed to solvents is challenging. The relevance of the work is that we use the available structural information to design molecules that could specifically attack it”.
Regarding the research, Ruiz points out that molecules were designed by means of computational strategies using the crystallographic information of the protein. That is, its three-dimensional structure to design a very large library of molecules directed against this target. This work is a fundamental part of the Mexico-Netherlands collaboration.
“These molecules were designed based on multicomponent reaction mechanisms. Of which the group I was with in the Netherlands is a pioneer and one of the best in the world. And they have the particularity that, unlike a traditional or serial synthesis, these molecules could be synthesized and evaluated faster”, he specifies.
Molecules against cancer. A cure?
When news about advances against cancer is reported, one immediately thinks of a cure. However, although this research “is not a treatment or even close, it is a seed. Using the structural information of CD44, plus that of drug design, we can generate relevant molecules to inhibit this protein. Although the disease is multifactorial and does not depend solely on this protein, we do know that it is particularly involved in relevant processes such as metastasis. It is the idea of how we could approach the rational design of drugs using the structure of the protein”, Ruiz Moreno points out.
It’s better to prevent
In the context of World Cancer Day, the researcher calls for prevention rather than seeking cures: it is multifactorial. For many types the reasons are not known, for lung, for example, it could be associated with smoking, but for others the causes are unknown.
It is important to remember that a balanced lifestyle favorably contributes to not developing it. Timely detection is also very relevant. In the breast, for example, many of the patients when they arrive at the clinic do so in advanced stages of the disease. Therefore, treatment is difficult and there are usually poor prognosis.
Prevention includes timely detection, that is, constant check-up, not only for that cancer, because we also know of other types in which timely detection can make a difference, for example, prostate cancer. The age at which it appears has been traversed; however, at the first sensation or symptom, studies must be carried out.
For Ruiz Moreno, it is necessary for men and women to go for regular check-ups despite not having symptoms, for mammograms to be routine, even without symptoms. “When breast cancer is detected at an early stage, the prognosis is much more favorable. Prevention and seeking timely detection always make a difference”, says the researcher.
It’s not a treatment or even close, but it is a seed. Using the structural information of CD44, plus that of drug design, we can generate relevant molecules to inhibit this protein….which is particularly involved in relevant processes such as metastasis”.
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