Scientists discover bacterial protein making cancer cells self-destruct

Spanish scientists have discovered a special protein emitted by a specific type of bacteria which could be helpful in the self-destruction of cancerous cells.

According to new research published in the journal Cell Death Discovery, the groundbreaking protein, known as HapA, is secreted by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.

The team of researchers conducted an experimental study on the colon, breast, and pancreatic cancerous cells.

The HapA protein is found to be working on the two key receptors, including PAR-1 and PAR-2, which are present on the surface of tumors and associated with cancer progression, inflammation, and blood clotting.

During the mechanism, HapA cleaves them at sites which are stranger to the human enzymes. This triggers a rapid process, leading to programmed cancer cell death.

Antonio Hurtado, a researcher at the University of Salamanca in Spain, said in a statement, "This work demonstrates the potential of bacterial proteins as anti-tumour therapeutic tools.”

"We wanted to see if human cells of different tumour types were still alive and could multiply after being in contact with these bacterial substances, in particular with the HapA protein," Hurtado said.

These findings extracted from the research study offers promising opportunities for developing new cancer treatments and provides insights into how organisms can show unexpected molecular mechanisms with health benefits.