The most important function of the immune system is to distinguish normal cells in the body from foreign cells. - When a foreign 'invader' is detected, the entire immune system is alerted by chemical signals. When a virus attacks we know the structure of the protein produced. But do we know what to look out for when a cancer attacks us? - asks Prof. Abramczyk and immediately adds. - When cancer attacks our body, the warning by chemical signals is less obvious. Some researchers argue that cancer cells do not trigger an immune response because they are the body's own cells that have mutated - although these once healthy cells no longer behave like normal cells. And because the immune system does not recognize the difference, cancer cells can continue to grow, divide and spread throughout the body.
The project "Key role of the triangle: carotenoids-retinoids-cytochromes in the development and progression of cancer", on which Prof Abramczyk and his team are working, has put forward this research hypothesis: it is not true that cancer cells do not trigger an immune response.
For cancer, chemical signals also exist, but we need to use the right tools to detect cellular signal transduction and the localisation of these chemical signals in specific organelles of cells and tissues. Raman spectroscopy and Raman imaging are excellent tools to not only obtain a biochemical profile of cells and tissues, but also to monitor changes in localisation in cancer as it progresses, explains the researcher, who heads the Biospectroscopy and Medicinal Chemistry Team, which conducts research at the Laser Molecular Spectroscopy Laboratory at the Interdepartmental Institute of Radiation Technology TUL.
According to Prof Abramczyk, the project will provide innovative tools for improved, more precise, objective and faster diagnosis, drug response, design of new drugs based on the balance between specific enzymes responsible for the synthesis or degradation of carotenoids, retinoids, cytochromes. The research will be carried out within the OPUS 22 programme. The cost of project funding from National Science Centre is PLN 1,494,317.