What is Chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy is a medical treatment used to combat cancer and other conditions involving rapidly dividing cells. It involves the administration of powerful drugs, either orally or intravenously, that target and destroy cancer cells. These drugs work by disrupting the cell division process, inhibiting the growth and spread of cancerous cells throughout the body. While chemotherapy’s primary goal is to target cancer cells, it can also affect healthy cells that divide rapidly, such as those found in the hair follicles and digestive system, leading to certain side effects. The treatment may be used alone or in combination with other therapies, depending on the specific type and stage of cancer.
What is Enzymes?
Within living organisms, enzymes serve as catalysts for a variety of chemical reactions. These remarkable proteins speed up the rate of chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy required for the reactions to occur. Enzymes are highly specific, meaning each one is designed to catalyze a particular reaction. They play a crucial role in many essential processes, such as digestion, metabolism, and DNA replication. Without enzymes, many of these reactions would be too slow to sustain life. Enzymes are sensitive to factors like temperature and pH, and their proper functioning is vital for the overall functioning and maintenance of living organisms.
Enzymes Are Helpful In Protecting The Heart During Chemotherapy
Researchers have found that the enzyme are helpful in protecting the heart during chemotherapy. Researchers have found that the enzyme protects heart cells from damage during chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is very popular these days to save cancer patients. But the sad side is that many cancer survivors are at risk for heart failure. The researchers’ findings have been published in Nature Communications. Enzymes located in the mitochondria generate energy in the cells. The study found that when heart cells are under stress caused by certain chemotherapy drugs, enzymes move into the nucleus of the cells. Once there, they maintain the viability of cells.
This was an unusual occurrence. Song Ging Aung, the co-author of the study, said looking at the risk of a heart attack after chemotherapy has led to the emergence of a new field called cardio-oncology. In the past, most researchers in this field focused on the mechanism by which chemotherapy drugs damage the mitochondria of heart cells. But this research team examined it from another angle. After all, how the heart cells of some patients are protected from getting damaged? This became apparent when a version of the enzyme was prepared and used on a mouse model.