RE:Science stuffHi Dawg - I think there are 2 key features to Theralase's pdt which makes it a game changer - the selective uptake of the photosensitizer by cancer cells (which, as you note below, rely on the over-expression of transferrin receptors on cancer vs normal cells) and the inducement of immunogenic cell death, which establishes antitumour immunity, so that any cancer cells, of the type destroyed, which escape the therapy are hunted down and destroyed by the patient's own immune system.
An extremely important recent paper by Dr. McFarland discusses how a new class of potent Rutherrin based photosensitizers not only destroys melanoma cells, but demonstrably induces immunogenic cell death. At the risk of being hyperbolic, a treatment based on this photosensitizer might end up being an actual cure for melanoma.
"In summary, our results show that Ru PDT (with clinically approved red light) produces clinically desired anticancer attack on melanoma via two-prongs: 1) by causing direct cytotoxicity in melanoma cells, and 2) via ICD-mediated generation of protective antitumor immunity [Figure 1b]. Such a Ru PDT-induced and non-exclusive two-pronged attack on cancers can be harnessed not only to eradicate existing cancer cells but also to establish protection against possible cancer relapse." Discovery of immunogenic cell death-inducing ruthenium-based photosensitizers for anticancer photodynamic therapy DJDawg wrote:
Just doing some random reading and found this. Likely posted before. It is an article talking about the over-expression of transferrin receptors on cancer vs normal cells. This receptor is what would take up Rutherrin based molecules preferentially and then, when activated by xray or light, cause cell death. I liked the image (link below) which showed the dramatic difference in TFR1 expression between normal and cancer cells. Makes you appreciate how powerful TLT's compounds may be in terms of targetting proliferating cancers selectively. Truly could be game changer.
https://postimg.cc/G4NNHz0V
image is from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6048407/pdf/ajcr0008-0916.pdf