New Cancer Drug Targets Tryptophan

[Gl;itch.e]

New cancer drug 'could be a blockbuster' - National - NZ Herald News

"The new drug homes in on the over-expression by cancer cells of an enzyme called IDO1 that they use to evade attack by the immune system. IDO1 breaks down an amino acid called tryptophan, causing a deficiency which cripples cancer-killing immune cells, allowing cancer cells to grow unchecked. The new drug is intended to block IDO1, unleashing the immune cells to recognise cancer cells as foreign and mark them for destruction."

Thought you guys might find it interesting since it revolves around Tryptophan. Except in this instance the supposed mechanism is the blocking of the enzyme that breaks it down.

 

[CarbAppreciator]

Interesting post Glitch... I think I remember reading something about certain immune factors that get lowered when tryptophan is deficient, which could be considered a good thing or bad thing I guess. I would love to see a study where healthy individuals are given tryptophan, I bet their immune factors would increase, which would suggest the body sees tryptophan as a threat to immunity. Lots of pathogens depend on tryptophan, and Ray Peat said it's the only amino that is inherently carcinogenic and that it mimics estrogen. Looks to me like this will be another nightmare drug.

 

[haidut]

New cancer drug 'could be a blockbuster' - National - NZ Herald News

"The new drug homes in on the over-expression by cancer cells of an enzyme called IDO1 that they use to evade attack by the immune system. IDO1 breaks down an amino acid called tryptophan, causing a deficiency which cripples cancer-killing immune cells, allowing cancer cells to grow unchecked. The new drug is intended to block IDO1, unleashing the immune cells to recognise cancer cells as foreign and mark them for destruction."

Thought you guys might find it interesting since it revolves around Tryptophan. Except in this instance the supposed mechanism is the blocking of the enzyme that breaks it down.

Yep, IDO inhibition is the new "wave" of cancer drugs. It won't cure them but it is helpful. Niacinamide is a functional IDO inhibitor due to the negative feedback loop on that enzyme and niacin.

 

[CarbAppreciator]

Yep, IDO inhibition is the new "wave" of cancer drugs. It won't cure them but it is helpful. Niacinamide is a functional IDO inhibitor due to the negative feedback loop on that enzyme and niacin.

Do you think the IDOI's are valuable for niacin production? And if so why wouldn't supplementing niacin be better?

 

[Birdie]

Do you think the IDOI's are valuable for niacin production? And if so why wouldn't supplementing niacin be better?

Niacinamide isn't patent protected for one thing. I have noted several times btw that RP recommends the amide form rather than niacin.

 

[haidut]

Do you think the IDOI's are valuable for niacin production? And if so why wouldn't supplementing niacin be better?

This question has been asked a million times. Try to search the forum for "niacin vs. niacinamide" or even Google it.

 

[CarbAppreciator]

This question has been asked a million times. Try to search the forum for "niacin vs. niacinamide" or even Google it.

I was asking if you think IDOI's sole beneficial factor is supporting endogenous niacinAMIDE production.

I was just lazy and wrote niacin instead of niacinamide. I know about niacinamide and use it everyday.

 

[Birdie]

Oh, got it. :)
Well, we gotta try to keep it straight in case a newcomer's reading what you say.

 

[haidut]

I was asking if you think IDOI's sole beneficial factor is supporting endogenous niacinAMIDE production.

I was just lazy and wrote niacin instead of niacinamide. I know about niacinamide and use it everyday.

Yes, I think this is its primary purpose and in the presence of calcium it steers the metabolism towards the end point, which is niacin/niacinamide.

 

[BeBetter]

b-lapachone is the active ingredient in pau d'arco. I drank that for a good amount of time. I wasn't supplementing any b vitamins, at the time, either. I would suppose it inhibits IDO1 universally and not just in cancer cells. I wish I would have known about that back then.