Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Serotonin is often described as the happiness chemical because of its well-known role in regulating mood. However, recent research suggests that this familiar molecule may play an unexpected role in cancer development. Not through its effects on the brain, but through a completely different mechanism in other parts of the body.
Despite serotonin being commonly associated with the brain, about 95% of the body’s serotonin is produced in the gut. From there, it enters the bloodstream and travels to various organs and tissues, including the liver, pancreasMuscles, bones, fat tissue and immune cells.
Gut serotonin helps regulate blood sugar levels through its actions on the liver and pancreas, and regulates body temperature by acting on fat tissues. It also contributes to maintaining healthy bones, stimulating appetite and gut motility, stimulating sexual health, promoting wound healing, and supporting immunity against harmful germs. It essentially governs the functions of many cells throughout the body, and its influence extends far beyond mood Regulation.
In 2019, Scientist It was discovered at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. serotonin Can enter cells and interact directly dnaThey found that it binds to molecular “switches” that control whether genes are active or inactive – and that this binding can turn on specific genes.
Studies have since shown that serotonin can switch on genes involved in cancer development. This mechanism has been seen in brain, liver, and pancreas cancers – and it may play a role in many other types of cancer.
My colleagues and I at the University of Limerick in Ireland are currently investigating the interaction between serotonin and DNA to better understand how it affects cancer. Identifying the specific sites where serotonin binds to cancer-related genes could support the development of targeted “epigenetic” therapies. treatment It controls which genes are turned on or off.
Epigenetic therapy aims to reprogram cancer cells by directly adjusting their gene activity. They can specifically turn off harmful genes and turn on beneficial genes in cancer cells without changing the DNA sequence. Such therapy may one day attack cancer cells with greater precision than current methods: surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. (Although these approaches can be life-saving, they are often invasive, have significant side effects and do not always prevent recurrence.)
Scientists are also exploring how serotonin produced in the gut reaches cancer cells. Understanding this pathway may help doctors manage serotonin levels in patients. Approaches may include dietary changes, maintaining a healthy gut microbiome, or the use of antidepressant medications called “selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors” (SSRIs).
Cells take up serotonin through small “transport channels” and SSRIs block these channels, limiting the entry of serotonin into cancer cells. These drugs increase serotonin levels in the body but prevent it from reaching DNA, causing cancer-promoting effects. This strategy could complement existing treatments and potentially improve their effectiveness.
Unraveling the double life of serotonin
Brain and gut serotonin work largely independently. Serotonin, which affects mood, does not induce cancer growth. For example, People Serotonin activity in the brain may be reduced with depression, but serotonin produced in the gut has no apparent effect on brain serotonin. SSRI antidepressants, such as Prozac, Celexa, and Zoloft, work by increasing serotonin levels in the brain and therefore, people taking these pills do not have to worry that their pills may cause cancer.
In contrast, as mentioned above, early studies suggest that SSRIs may have beneficial effects against some cancers – although larger clinical trials are needed to confirm this.
About the author
Jeremiah Stanley is Postdoctoral Researcher, Viral and Cancer Genes at the University of Limerick.
This article is republished from Conversation Under Creative Commons license. read the original article,
Our research aims to create a detailed understanding of the role of serotonin in various tissues and cellular pathways, potentially opening new avenues for treatment. However, significant challenges remain.
A clear understanding of how serotonin interacts with cancer-related genes is needed to determine which targets are most effective. Precise delivery systems must also be developed to ensure that epigenetic drugs reach their intended destination. Most importantly, the encouraging results of cell-based experiments must be validated in ethically designed animal studies and human clinical trials before meaningful progress can be claimed.
If therapies could be developed to specifically target serotonin activity in cancer cells, tumors might become less aggressive and easier to remove surgically with less risk of recurrence.
A more complete understanding of the functions of serotonin in the body – in mood, metabolism, and cancer – may guide the development of more precise and effective treatments in the future.