Copper is a trace element vital for cell growth and development. However, cancer cells exhibit a heightened dependence on copper for their rapid proliferation.
Scientists have harnessed this vulnerability to develop a novel cancer treatment strategy focused on copper deprivation.
Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Stanford University School of Medicine, and Goethe University Frankfurt/Main have devised a method to effectively remove copper from tumor cells. Their approach centers on nanofibers constructed from the copper-binding domains of the chaperone protein Atox1.

These nanofibers exhibit a remarkable affinity for copper ions, enabling them to sequester copper from the tumor cell environment. The researchers enhanced the nanofibers’ effectiveness by incorporating components that facilitate their uptake into tumor cells and promote their assembly into nanofibers within the cells.

The nanofibers’ sequestration of copper disrupts the delicate copper balance (homeostasis) in tumor cells, leading to an increase in oxidative stress and, ultimately, cell death. In laboratory tests on breast cancer cell cultures, over 85% of the cancer cells died within 72 hours of treatment, while healthy cell cultures remained unaffected.
This research, though in its early stages, presents a promising new avenue for cancer treatment. The researchers hope that their findings will contribute to developing therapies that selectively target and eliminate cancer cells by depriving them of the copper essential for their survival.

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