Scientists Discover New Way of Selectively Killing Cancer Cells

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This image depicts the increased iron content of tumor cells containing mutant RAS as rust and shows the structure of one of these two novel tumor-selective lethal compounds. Art by Paul Grillo
This image depicts the increased iron content of tumor cells containing mutant RAS as rust, and shows the structure of one of these two novel tumor-selective lethal compounds. Art by Paul Grillo

A Columbia University professor has discovered a chemical mechanism that can selectively kill cancer cells while leaving normal cells unharmed. Brent R. Stockwell, an associate professor in the department of biological sciences and the department of chemistry at Columbia University, found two new lethal compounds, RSL3 and RSL5, that act through a cellular pathway unique to certain cancers. The results of the study appear in the March 24 issue of the journal Chemistry and Biology.


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