透過進食,我們能夠從食物中獲取身體所需的能量。這過程亦稱之為新陳代謝。328Please respect copyright.PENANAvvESJR7tfj
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有無數證據顯示,癌細胞的新陳代謝與正常的細胞有著顯著的分別。328Please respect copyright.PENANAqXwruucbDh
正因如此,有不少科學家抱有一個信念,希望透過針對癌細胞的新陳代謝來抑止癌細胞的生長,甚至是達消滅癌細胞之效。328Please respect copyright.PENANAR808fbyWwF
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(圖2)半胱胺酸 (Cysteine)是氨基酸的一種,亦即是組成蛋白質的基本單元。328Please respect copyright.PENANA04WsH0mHcS
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我們可以透過直接進食來攝取Cysteine,又或者依靠肝臟將特定兩隻氨基酸(Methionine及Serine)轉化成為Cysteine供我們所用。328Please respect copyright.PENANAeqKTgYG0Kj
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有科學家嘗試從飼養癌細胞的營養液中剔除Cysteine,發覺部份癌細胞的生長速度有所減慢,而有部份的癌細胞則趨向死亡(Ref1)。328Please respect copyright.PENANAfO5bfLltFv
328Please respect copyright.PENANAm46LfpeDQl
(圖3)從營養液剔除Cysteine後,身體攝取Cysteine的辦法便只剩下依靠肝臟將同為氨基酸的Methionine及Serine轉化成為Cysteine。328Please respect copyright.PENANACh9sqsJwOJ
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而各種剔除Cysteine便會死亡的癌細胞的共通點,就是缺乏一隻名為5-methylthioadenosine phosphorylase(MTAP)的蛋白酶。328Please respect copyright.PENANAjFzNIz5bio
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失去MTAP後,細胞會傾向將Methionine轉化成為一系列名為Polyamine的物質,導致身體失去製作Cysteine的手段。328Please respect copyright.PENANAq8ZYnsiWJd
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更甚的是,產生Polyamine的過程中將會產生游離基,而制衡游離基的Glutathione卻則依靠Cysteine作為原材料。328Please respect copyright.PENANAkZydEQmR1P
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因此,缺乏MTAP的癌細胞若然沒有外來Cysteine供應的話,便會因游離基數量過多而導致死亡。328Please respect copyright.PENANA3iPScm5HJG
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環觀各種癌細胞,膠質母細胞瘤(Glioblastoma)有較大的機會因基因變異而失去MTAP基因。328Please respect copyright.PENANA2SSNMUD7bU
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根據上述研究結果,若癌症病人的癌細胞證實缺乏MTAP基因的話,在餐單中剔除進食Cysteine氨基酸或許是一個副作用相對上為微的理性選擇。328Please respect copyright.PENANAfPocAjo9T2
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如果想我快啲出文的話,請入去Penana網站科普專欄–薯不揀單俾一個like以及Bookmark,這對我非常之重要。328Please respect copyright.PENANAgbYRwWVmp2
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Link: https://www.penana.com/story/66244/%E7%A7%91%E6%99%AE%E5%B0%88%E6%AC%84-%E8%96%AF%E4%B8%8D%E6%8F%80%E5%96%AE/toc328Please respect copyright.PENANAOGXNblCu8h
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同時亦可以在Penana網站裡按「買一嚿/半嚿薯仔」,以課金的方式推動我繼續搜羅資料寫文,多謝。328Please respect copyright.PENANANIXRBq0CXV
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Link:328Please respect copyright.PENANA62zLx9F0Ol
https://www.penana.com/user/27349/%E8%96%AF%E4%BB%94%E8%81%9E%E8%8C%B1%E8%8E%89/portfolio328Please respect copyright.PENANAf1MvVoz42i
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有興趣接收科學資訊的話,歡迎follow IG: potatopigtongue。328Please respect copyright.PENANAfZyBqecLUt
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https://www.instagram.com/potatopigtongue/328Please respect copyright.PENANAhBzDnir0Ut
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Ref1:https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-020-0253-2