Cell brain crystallization for cancer therapy

Cell brain: insight into hepatocarcinogenesis

Although great effort has been made, the understanding of the mechanisms of hepatocarcinogenesis is still limited. Among all the related hypotheses, the cell brain theory, which emphasized the integrate roles of the complex consisting of centrosome, the embedded centrioles and connecting microtubules (MTs) and interpreted cancer as a cell brain illness rather than a genetic disease, emerges to be more logic and recognizable. According to cell brain theory, all the cellular procedures are coordinated as a whole by the "brain" of a cell determining a cell's fate. Structural and functional abnormalities in the cell brain may result in unequal or multipolar segregation of the chromosomes, thereby causing cell cycle disorder, centrosome amplification, and genomic instability. Although there lacking of direct evidence associating cell brain defects and hepatocarcinogenesis, latest understanding of the roles of the cells brain in cell control does teach us that any defects in the cell brain may contribute to hepatocarcinogenesis. Briefly, more than 100 key proteins involved in DNA synthesis, DNA repair, cell cycle, and apoptosis have been localized to the cell brain. Specifically, more and more novel proteins associated with centrosome such as centrin, centriolin and cenexin are located in the centriole, a core component of cenrtrosome. Aberrant phosphorylation of these proteins and/or mutation of the coding genes may inevitably cause supernumerary centrioles and/or excess pericentriolar material. Modifications of any MT proteins such as tyrosinated tubulin (Tyr-tubulin), detyrosinated tubulin (Glu-tubulin) and Delta2-tubulin may change the structure and function of MTs, thereby interfering with G1 phase progression, altering the dynamics of some key proteins, and mis-regulating signal transduction and transcription. Although little work has been done, we intend to believe, based on the latest understanding of the novel roles of the cell brain in cell control, that defects in any part of the cell brain either in the structure or in the function may result in changes of the genes, eventually leading to the development of liver cancer, which is discussed in this paper and is expected to be helpful in shedding light on the often paradoxical observations seen in the development of cancer, including HCC. It also teaches us that when treating cancerous problems therapeutically or prophylactically, great attention should be given to the centrosome/cell brain, instead of gene alone. More specifically, the centrosome-centered cell brain may come to be novel targets in the treatment of cancer including HCC.

Does the cell-brain theory work in explaining carcinogenesis?

As a major microtubule-organizing center, the centrosome, together with the embedded centrioles and connecting filaments (or microtubules), has lately been proposed to be the "brain" of a cell. Although there are a lot of works to be done to test this hypothesis, emerging data have suggested that this centrosome-centered "cell brain" is playing increasingly important roles in cell control. Genes seem not to tell the whole story, despite the commonly held view that genetic alteration is the cause of most medical problems including cancer development. Although the mechanisms through which gene expression and protein synthesis are regulated remain to be studied, current advances in our understanding of the roles of the centrosome in the regulation of DNA synthesis, DNA repair, cell cycle, apoptosis and in the maintenance of genetic stability are challenging our tradition thoughts. Genetic alterations may be repaired by the centrosome-centered "cell brain"-mediated self-defense, but the cell brain defects intend to cause genetic alterations, which, in turn, may result in cancer development. Further understanding of the roles of the centrosome/cell brain in these and other new aspects are becoming very helpful in comprehending why and how medical problems including tumors develop. Meanwhile, it suggests that great attention should be given to the centrosome/cell brain, instead of gene alone when treating medical problems, which is discussed in this paper on the basis of cell brain theory and may prove helpful in shedding light on the often paradoxical observations seen in cell control, particularly in cancer development.

A new theory of the origin of cancer: quantum coherent entanglement, centrioles, mitosis, and differentiation

Malignant cells are characterized by abnormal segregation of chromosomes during mitosis ("aneuploidy"), generally considered a result of malignancy originating in genetic mutations. However, recent evidence supports a century-old concept that maldistribution of chromosomes (and resultant genomic instability) due to abnormalities in mitosis itself is the primary cause of malignancy rather than a mere byproduct. In normal mitosis chromosomes replicate into sister chromatids which are then precisely separated and transported into mirror-like sets by structural protein assemblies called mitotic spindles and centrioles, both composed of microtubules. The elegant yet poorly understood ballet-like movements and geometric organization occurring in mitosis have suggested guidance by some type of organizing field, however neither electromagnetic nor chemical gradient fields have been demonstrated or shown to be sufficient. It is proposed here that normal mirror-like mitosis is organized by quantum coherence and quantum entanglement among microtubule-based centrioles and mitotic spindles which ensure precise, complementary duplication of daughter cell genomes and recognition of daughter cell boundaries. Evidence and theory supporting organized quantum states in cytoplasm/nucleoplasm (and quantum optical properties of centrioles in particular) at physiological temperature are presented. Impairment of quantum coherence and/or entanglement among microtubule-based mitotic spindles and centrioles can result in abnormal distribution of chromosomes, abnormal differentiation and uncontrolled growth, and account for all aspects of malignancy. New approaches to cancer therapy and stem cell production are suggested via non-thermal laser-mediated effects aimed at quantum optical states of centrioles.

The centrosome-centered cell-brain in apoptosis

Apoptosis (or programmed cell death) is one of the central cellular processes in development, stress response, aging, carcinogenesis, and disease in multi-cellular eukaryotes. Although great effort has been made, the detailed mechanism through which apoptosis is initiated is yet unclear. Previously, the centrosome, or more explicitly the complex comprising the centrosome, centrioles, and connecting filaments, was reported to be required for apoptosis. It may be through this 'cell brain', reminiscent of the long known brain of animals (or humans), that complicated cellular processes, including apoptosis, are precisely coordinated. In this paper, the latest data to support this contention are scrutinized.

Cell brain abnormalities in cancer development

Cancer has long been regarded as a genetic disease. Therefore, current theories on cancer development focus on genetic alterations affecting oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes. However, the mechanisms through which genetic alterations are induced are largely unknown. In this paper a theory will be developed which interprets cancer as a cell brain illness rather than a genetic disease. The complex comprising the centrosome, normally two centrioles and connecting filaments, was recently termed the 'cell brain', and was found to determine a cell's fate. It is through the cell brain, instead of the genes, that genetic stability and expression are maintained and regulated. Accordingly, the nucleus is regarded as a safe storage for inheriting materials (genes) that primarily act as manufacturing templates. Therefore, cancer should be regarded as a 'brain illness' of a cell, instead of a genetic disease, which is strongly supported by the latest evidence, as discussed in this paper. Such a theory serves to better clarify the confusing observations in cancer development accumulated over the last decades.

Cell brain: a new focus in the postgenomic era

The centrosome, together with the embedded centrioles and connecting filaments, has come to be regarded as the 'brain' of a cell, analogous to the long known brain of an animal or a human being. It is through the 'brain' that different cellular activities are coordinated as a whole. In this article, comparative studies of the principles of life at varying levels and of the new roles of different cellular organelles in maintaining a healthy life for an organism provide further support to this theory, which is discussed based on the latest findings. Hopefully, this new theory can make a great contribution to break the paradigm of nucleus (or genes) as causes of all problems.