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Recent studies by scientists have shown that microgravity exposure during the day destroys up to 90% of cancer cells. it does not mean that cancer patients will be sent to Earth orbit, so as scientists have another suggestion – imitation of this effect when help developed drugs.
It is known that the human body in low gravity behaves a little differently. Therefore, scientists from Sydney Institute of Technology decided to study more carefully the effect of weightlessness on the development of cancer.
Researchers have created a microgravity simulator in which immersed in breast, ovarian, lung and cancer cell cultures nose. As a result of the twenty-hour exposure, up to 90% died cancer cells.
The authors of the development believe that the main drawback gravitational impact in that it disrupts processes intercellular communication, and cells do not “know” about their surroundings. Such the phenomenon is called the mechanical unloading effect, due to which astronauts lose bone mass.
Scientists still do not quite understand why this effect has a greater effect on malignancies than on healthy body cells. To find out, scientists began preparation for the next experiment, which will be held at the ISS. Participants in a scientific mission will monitor the status of cancer cells right in orbit, expecting to get more useful information, necessary to search for new cancer treatment methods diseases.
Of course, scientists do not send sick people into space intend, but this is not required. Scientists in orbit will be busy finding receptors that are responsible for killing cancer cells under the influence of microgravity. If the experiment is successful, researchers will try to create a drug that causes the same the effect.
Andrey Vetrov
Oncology
