From Pathogens to Cancer: Are Cancer Cells Evolved Mitochondrial Super Cells?
Life is based on a highly specific combination of atoms, metabolism, and genetics which eventually reflects the chemistry of the Universe which is composed of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, and carbon. The interaction of atomic, metabolic, and genetic cycles results in the organizat...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Diagnostics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/13/4/813 |
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| author | Mario G. Balzanelli Pietro Distratis Rita Lazzaro Van Hung Pham Raffaele Del Prete Adriana Mosca Francesco Inchingolo Sergey K. Aityan Luigi Santacroce Kieu C. D. Nguyen Ciro Gargiulo Isacco |
| author_facet | Mario G. Balzanelli Pietro Distratis Rita Lazzaro Van Hung Pham Raffaele Del Prete Adriana Mosca Francesco Inchingolo Sergey K. Aityan Luigi Santacroce Kieu C. D. Nguyen Ciro Gargiulo Isacco |
| author_sort | Mario G. Balzanelli |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Life is based on a highly specific combination of atoms, metabolism, and genetics which eventually reflects the chemistry of the Universe which is composed of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, and carbon. The interaction of atomic, metabolic, and genetic cycles results in the organization and de-organization of chemical information of that which we consider as living entities, including cancer cells. In order to approach the problem of the origin of cancer it is therefore reasonable to start from the assumption that the sub-molecular level, the atomic structure, should be the considered starting point on which metabolism, genetics, and external insults eventually emanate. Second, it is crucial to characterize which of the entities and parts composing human cells may live a separate life; certainly, this theoretical standpoint would consider mitochondria, an organelle of “bacteria” origin embedded in conditions favorable for the onset of both. This organelle has not only been tolerated by immunity but has also been placed as a central regulator of cell defense. Virus, bacteria, and mitochondria are also similar in the light of genetic and metabolic elements; they share not only equivalent DNA and RNA features but also many basic biological activities. Thus, it is important to finalize that once the cellular integrity has been constantly broken down, the mitochondria like any other virus or bacteria return to their original autonomy to simply survive. The Warburg’s law that states the ability of cancers to ferment glucose in the presence of oxygen, indicates mitochondria respiration abnormalities may be the underlying cause of this transformation towards super cancer cells. Though genetic events play a key part in altering biochemical metabolism, inducing aerobic glycolysis, this is not enough to impair mitochondrial function since mitochondrial biogenesis and quality control are constantly upregulated in cancers. While some cancers have mutations in the nuclear-encoded mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, enzymes that produce oncogenic metabolites, there is also a bio-physic pathway for pathogenic mitochondrial genome mutations. The atomic level of all biological activities can be considered the very beginning, marked by the electron abnormal behavior that consequently affects DNA of both cells and mitochondria. Whilst the cell’s nucleus DNA after a certain number of errors and defection tends to gradually switch off, the mitochondria DNA starts adopting several escape strategies, switching-on a few important genes that belong back at their original roots as independent beings. The ability to adopt this survival trick, by becoming completely immune to current life-threatening events, is probably the beginning of a differentiation process towards a “super-power cell”, the cancer cells that remind many pathogens, including virus, bacteria, and fungi. Thus, here, we present a hypothesis regarding those changes that first begin at the mitochondria atomic level to steadily involve molecular, tissue and organ levels in response to the virus or bacteria constant insults that drive a mitochondria itself to become an “immortal cancer cell”. Improved insights into this interplay between these pathogens and mitochondria progression may disclose newly epistemological paradigms as well as innovative procedures in targeting cancer cell progressive invasion. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:56:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-29ffe88b2bfb4a95b6a1385813cec180 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4418 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:56:39Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diagnostics |
| spelling | doaj.art-29ffe88b2bfb4a95b6a1385813cec1802023-11-16T20:03:21ZengMDPI AGDiagnostics2075-44182023-02-0113481310.3390/diagnostics13040813From Pathogens to Cancer: Are Cancer Cells Evolved Mitochondrial Super Cells?Mario G. Balzanelli0Pietro Distratis1Rita Lazzaro2Van Hung Pham3Raffaele Del Prete4Adriana Mosca5Francesco Inchingolo6Sergey K. Aityan7Luigi Santacroce8Kieu C. D. Nguyen9Ciro Gargiulo Isacco10SET-118, Department of Pre-Hospital and Emergency, SG Giuseppe Moscati Hospital, 74120 Taranto, ItalySET-118, Department of Pre-Hospital and Emergency, SG Giuseppe Moscati Hospital, 74120 Taranto, ItalySET-118, Department of Pre-Hospital and Emergency, SG Giuseppe Moscati Hospital, 74120 Taranto, ItalyInternational Research Institute of Genetics and Immunology, Ho Chi Minh City 70000, VietnamDepartment of Interdisciplinary Medicine, Microbiology and Virology Unit, School of Medicine, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, ItalyDepartment of Interdisciplinary Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, ItalyDepartment of Interdisciplinary Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, ItalyDepartment of Multidisciplinary Research Center, Lincoln University, Oakland, CA 94612, USADepartment of Interdisciplinary Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, ItalyDepartment of Interdisciplinary Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, ItalySET-118, Department of Pre-Hospital and Emergency, SG Giuseppe Moscati Hospital, 74120 Taranto, ItalyLife is based on a highly specific combination of atoms, metabolism, and genetics which eventually reflects the chemistry of the Universe which is composed of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, and carbon. The interaction of atomic, metabolic, and genetic cycles results in the organization and de-organization of chemical information of that which we consider as living entities, including cancer cells. In order to approach the problem of the origin of cancer it is therefore reasonable to start from the assumption that the sub-molecular level, the atomic structure, should be the considered starting point on which metabolism, genetics, and external insults eventually emanate. Second, it is crucial to characterize which of the entities and parts composing human cells may live a separate life; certainly, this theoretical standpoint would consider mitochondria, an organelle of “bacteria” origin embedded in conditions favorable for the onset of both. This organelle has not only been tolerated by immunity but has also been placed as a central regulator of cell defense. Virus, bacteria, and mitochondria are also similar in the light of genetic and metabolic elements; they share not only equivalent DNA and RNA features but also many basic biological activities. Thus, it is important to finalize that once the cellular integrity has been constantly broken down, the mitochondria like any other virus or bacteria return to their original autonomy to simply survive. The Warburg’s law that states the ability of cancers to ferment glucose in the presence of oxygen, indicates mitochondria respiration abnormalities may be the underlying cause of this transformation towards super cancer cells. Though genetic events play a key part in altering biochemical metabolism, inducing aerobic glycolysis, this is not enough to impair mitochondrial function since mitochondrial biogenesis and quality control are constantly upregulated in cancers. While some cancers have mutations in the nuclear-encoded mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, enzymes that produce oncogenic metabolites, there is also a bio-physic pathway for pathogenic mitochondrial genome mutations. The atomic level of all biological activities can be considered the very beginning, marked by the electron abnormal behavior that consequently affects DNA of both cells and mitochondria. Whilst the cell’s nucleus DNA after a certain number of errors and defection tends to gradually switch off, the mitochondria DNA starts adopting several escape strategies, switching-on a few important genes that belong back at their original roots as independent beings. The ability to adopt this survival trick, by becoming completely immune to current life-threatening events, is probably the beginning of a differentiation process towards a “super-power cell”, the cancer cells that remind many pathogens, including virus, bacteria, and fungi. Thus, here, we present a hypothesis regarding those changes that first begin at the mitochondria atomic level to steadily involve molecular, tissue and organ levels in response to the virus or bacteria constant insults that drive a mitochondria itself to become an “immortal cancer cell”. Improved insights into this interplay between these pathogens and mitochondria progression may disclose newly epistemological paradigms as well as innovative procedures in targeting cancer cell progressive invasion.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/13/4/813cancermitochondriaDNARNAreactive oxygen species (ROS)superoxide anion (O2−, hydroxyl radical OH) |
| spellingShingle | Mario G. Balzanelli Pietro Distratis Rita Lazzaro Van Hung Pham Raffaele Del Prete Adriana Mosca Francesco Inchingolo Sergey K. Aityan Luigi Santacroce Kieu C. D. Nguyen Ciro Gargiulo Isacco From Pathogens to Cancer: Are Cancer Cells Evolved Mitochondrial Super Cells? Diagnostics cancer mitochondria DNA RNA reactive oxygen species (ROS) superoxide anion (O2−, hydroxyl radical OH) |
| title | From Pathogens to Cancer: Are Cancer Cells Evolved Mitochondrial Super Cells? |
| title_full | From Pathogens to Cancer: Are Cancer Cells Evolved Mitochondrial Super Cells? |
| title_fullStr | From Pathogens to Cancer: Are Cancer Cells Evolved Mitochondrial Super Cells? |
| title_full_unstemmed | From Pathogens to Cancer: Are Cancer Cells Evolved Mitochondrial Super Cells? |
| title_short | From Pathogens to Cancer: Are Cancer Cells Evolved Mitochondrial Super Cells? |
| title_sort | from pathogens to cancer are cancer cells evolved mitochondrial super cells |
| topic | cancer mitochondria DNA RNA reactive oxygen species (ROS) superoxide anion (O2−, hydroxyl radical OH) |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/13/4/813 |
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