- Avocatin B a fat molecule is present only in avocados
- This compound helps treat patients with leukemia
- Avocatin B can also prevent diabetes and manage obesity
Most cases occur in people over age 65, and fewer than 10 percent of patients survive five years after diagnosis.
Leukemia cells have higher amounts of an enzyme called VLCAD involved in their metabolism, said Spagnuolo.
"The cell relies on that pathway to survive," he said, explaining that the compound is a likely candidate for drug therapy. This is the first time VLCAD has been identified as a target in any cancer."
His team screened nutraceutical compounds among numerous compounds, looking for any substance that might inhibit the enzyme.
Earlier, his lab looked at avocatin B, a fat molecule found only in avocados, for potential use in preventing diabetes and managing obesity. Now he's eager to see it used in leukemia patients.
Currently, about half of patients over 65 diagnosed with AML enter palliative care. Others undergo chemotherapy, but drug treatments are toxic and can end up killing patients.
"There's been a drive to find less toxic drugs that can be used."
Referring to earlier work using avocatin B for diabetes, Spagnuolo said, "We completed a human study with this as an oral supplement and have been able to show that appreciable amounts are fairly well tolerated."
Source-Eurekalert