Scientists and poets alike have long recognized the value of a firefly's glow. Now a New York cancer research team is exploring the use of a firefly's bioluminescence to guide doctors in finding and removing mesothelioma cancer cells.
In a March 31 article in the medical journal Annals of Surgical Oncology, researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York report on using the proteins that make fireflies glow as a tracer to guide surgical removal of mesothelioma cells.
Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that affects the lining of the lung and abdominal cavity. Mesothelioma is caused by breathing and swallowing asbestos. Approximately 2,500 to 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year with symptoms of mesothelioma typically appearing 20 years to 50 years after exposure. Certain jobs have an occupational hazard of exposure to asbestos and a greater risk the persons will development asbestos disease.
Researchers at Sloan-Kettering, one of the nation's leading cancer research institutions, took mesothelioma cancer cells and genetically modified them by adding the firefly's luciferase gene. They observed that the mesothelioma cells infected with firefly genetic material gave off a bright, clear bioluminescent signal that grew brighter with more cancer cells and remained detectable with as few as 10 cancer cells.
The researchers subjected the mesothelioma cells to heat treatment. They observed a decrease in bioluminescence corresponding to the duration and temperature of the heat therapy. The decreased glow correlated with the number of mesothelioma cells remaining alive.
They then injected mice with the genetically-modified mesothelioma cells to see how the technique worked with living creatures. They used the bioluminesence as a guide for removing mesothelioma tumors using a laser. They noted that they achieved 0 percent tumor recurrence in the mice.
The researchers concluded that bioluminescence is a sensitive imaging approach that has potential for use at the molecular level to target tumors and optimize heat treatment for cancer. It remains an experimental treatment.
For more information about mesothelioma, click here.
