Muscle Cell Mitochondria © Dennis Kunkel

Researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have discovered that a chemically-modified version of the antibiotic drug antimycin can selectively destroy certain cancer cells.

Antimycin is effective in curing infections because it works by blocking respiration in mitochondria. The modified version of this toxin, 2-Methoxy antimycin, was found to inhibit two cancer cell proteins.

Many types of cancer cells often contain high levels of the proteins Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. These cancer cells are resistant to chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

In the study, the researchers found that 2-Methoxy antimycin inhibited cells with high levels of these proteins. Cells with normal levels however, were resistant to 2-Methoxy antimycin.

Learn more about this discovery:

• Cell Toxin Found To Inhibit Survival Proteins In Cancer Cells Science Daily