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Russian scientists have created a drug to fight kidney cancer

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Russian scientists have created a drug to fight kidney cancer

Scientists from Belgorod have developed a substance for use during surgery for kidney cancer.

When the disease is detected in its early stages, the best treatment step is to remove the damaged parts of the organ (resection), the press service of Belgorod State National Research University (BelGU) told.

Such an operation requires artificial reduction of blood circulation and for this purpose the renal artery is clamped. However, if the clamp is used for more than 20-30 minutes, it triggers processes that provoke oxygen starvation of the healthy parts of the kidney, narrowing of the renal vessels and inflammation, RIA Novosti reports. Resection, on the other hand, most often requires considerably more time.

Therefore, to maintain the correct microcirculation in the kidney, special medications are needed. According to scientists, to date the most researched is considered to be erythropoietin, but it also has negative side effects which worsen therapy.

Belgorod scientists have synthesized a substance that mimics the useful properties of erythropoietin, but without the drawbacks. The university specified that the new substance, unlike the hormone, does not lead to the formation of new red blood cells, which in turn provoked side effects.

"The 11-member peptide we obtained, which reproduces α-helix B of erythropoietin, provides vascular cells with good protective effect due to strong binding to the so-called EPOR/βCR complex located on the outer surface of human cells," explained Professor Mikhail Pokrovsky, Head of Research Institute of Pharmacology of Living Systems at BelSU.

The scientists said that tests on animals showed that the developed preparation ensures efficient and safe correction of microcirculation in the kidney throughout the operation.

Now the new drug is being prepared for clinical trials.

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Author: Ksenia Gustova

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