Liposomal vitamin c acts against tumor cells with mutations in the genes BRAF or KRAS

by Quicksilver Scientific Health

The researchers assessed the effect of liposomal vitamin c on tumor cell cultures and observed that at high doses of vitamin (the equivalent of about 300 oranges) cells with mutations in the genes KRAS or BRAF, present in more than half of the cancers of cabbage On, were eliminated in a specific way.

What is the mechanism that makes this possible? Through different experiments, the researchers found that in front of their well-known antioxidant role, the therapeutic effect of liposomal vitamin c in tumor cells with mutations in the genes KRAS or BRAF is due to the induction of oxidative stress in these Cells through its oxidized form, the Dihidroascorbato, DHA. Cells that are mutants for KRAS or BRAF restructure their glucose metabolism through – among other mechanisms – the increase in the production of GLUT1 membrane transporter.

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This way they can metabolize the high amounts of glucose they need to survive and grow. GLUT1 not only takes care of introducing glucose into the cell but also imports DHA. By supplying high levels of liposomal vitamin c to tumor cells, the greatest number of GLUT1 transporters in their membranes makes them introduce an excessive amount of DHA to the inside. Inside the cell, the natural antioxidants of the cell try to convert the DHA to its form of ascorbic acid. During this process, reactive oxygen species accumulate and an energetic crisis is generated inside the cell that finally leads to its death. On the contrary, normal cells whose GLUT1 levels are normal are not affected.

"Although many normal cells express GLUT1, mutant cancer cells for KRAS and mutants for BRAF typically have much higher levels due to a large amount of glucose consumption they need to survive and grow. "In addition, mutant cells for KRAS and BRAF produce higher reactive oxygen species than normal cells and therefore need more antioxidants to survive. This combination of characteristics makes cancer cells much more vulnerable to DHA than normal cells or other types of cancer. "

Researchers are cautious about the results of the work and indicate the need to replicate the study in humans. If the effect observed in preclinical studies is maintained could lead to the development of treatments for those tumors bon mutations in KRAS or BRAF, and even for other common cancers in which the transporter GLUT1 is expressed at very high levels as Renal cell carcinoma, pancreatic or bladder cancer.

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The dose and the method of administering liposomal vitamin c should also be taken into account. The investigators discard an oral dose because vitamin C would not reach the necessary therapeutic levels after being absorbed in the intestine. For this reason, you will most likely have to resort to an infusion of the vitamin through an intravenous injection. In addition given the effects of liposomal vitamin c in cellular function, it will be necessary to study also the response of the normal cells to the high concentrations.