Scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder and Princeton University have discovered that cancer cells may contain a different ratio of hydrogen versus deuterium atoms compared to healthy tissue. This groundbreaking research has the potential to provide new insights into how cancer grows and spreads, and could lead to early detection methods in the future. The team, led by CU Boulder geochemist Ashley Maloney, published their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, presenting a new way to examine cancer at the atomic level by leveraging tools typically used in geology.
Hydrogen atoms come in two main varieties or isotopes, with deuterium being slightly heavier than regular hydrogen. By analyzing the distribution of these atoms in yeast and mouse liver cells grown in the lab, the researchers found that fast-growing cells, such as cancer cells, had a significantly different hydrogen to deuterium ratio. This unique isotopic signature left by cancer cells could potentially serve as a fingerprint for early cancer detection and provide valuable insights into cancer metabolism, a concept that has fascinated researchers for years.
Metabolism plays a crucial role in cancer growth, as cancer cells often adopt alternative energy-generating strategies, similar to fermentation in yeast, to support their rapid proliferation. By tracking the hydrogen isotopes within cells, researchers can gain a deeper understanding of how cancer cells reprogram their metabolic pathways to sustain their growth. The study highlights the potential of utilizing isotopic analysis as a novel approach to studying cancer metabolism and potentially developing new diagnostic tools for early cancer detection.
Ashley Maloney’s research was inspired by her father, a dermatologist, who frequently removed skin cancer cells from patients. This personal connection led her to investigate how the metabolism of cancer cells differs from healthy cells, with a focus on understanding how hydrogen atoms are utilized in the cellular processes that support cancer growth. By examining the role of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) in collecting and transferring hydrogen atoms within cells, the team uncovered potential links between cancer metabolism and alterations in hydrogen isotope ratios.
The researchers’ experiments with healthy and cancerous cells revealed significant differences in the distribution of hydrogen isotopes, with cancer cells displaying a reduced deuterium content compared to normal cells. This unexpected finding opens up new avenues for further research into the atomic composition of cancer cells and the potential implications for cancer detection and treatment. By leveraging tools and techniques from geology, scientists may have discovered a novel approach to studying cancer at the molecular level and unlocking new insights into cancer biology.
The study’s senior author, Xinning Zhang, expressed hope that these findings could eventually benefit individuals worldwide by advancing our understanding of cancer and other diseases. The ability to track changes in hydrogen isotope ratios within cells may offer a unique window into cancer metabolism and provide valuable information for developing targeted therapies or diagnostic tests. Moving forward, researchers aim to explore how these isotopic signatures manifest in real cancer patients and further investigate the potential applications of this innovative approach in the field of oncology.
