A recently discovered protein secreted by a type of bacteria can offer a promising strategy to fight cancer. Researchers in Spain have identified a protein called Hapa, produced by Vibrio Cholerae, which can trigger apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in tumor cells. Laboratory experiments showed that Hapa specifically is aimed at receptors on the surface of cancer cells, including Par-1 and Par-2, which leads to rapid self-destruction. The team tested cells from chest, colon and pancreas, which showed that only the presence of Hapa reduced the life force of the tumor cell. These findings highlight a new potential therapeutic path for the treatment of cancer with directed bacterial proteins.
How Hapa -protein Target cancer cells
Hapa works by splitting PAR-1 and PAR-2 receptors, which are normally involved in tumor progression, inflammation and blood coagulation. Unlike humane enzymes, Hapa seems to be on unique cleavage places and initiate a cascade that forces cancer cells to destroy. This selective mechanism is what makes Hapa a promising candidate for future treatments, which potentially allows targeted therapy with minimal damage to healthy cells.
The researchers tested Hapa using both mutant stems of Vibrio Cholerae that lacked the protein and genetically modified bacteria that only produced Hapa. In each experiment, cancer cell death occurred only when Hapa was present. Furthermore, fluid extracts confirmed bacterial proteins applied to chest, colon and pancreas cancer cell lines that Hapa was responsible for the reduced vitality and spread of tumor cells.
Consequences for future cancer therapy
The discovery opens new ways to design cancer treatments that utilize bacterial proteins. By accurately manipulating cell signaling through PAR-1 and Par-2 receptors, Hapa can potentially reduce side effects that are often seen in conventional therapies. Researchers emphasize that although the results are currently limited to laboratory studies, the results emphasize the importance of studying pathogens to reveal unexpected molecules with therapeutic potential.
