Pine Bark Compound May Combat Melanoma

The protein pathways of PI3K, MAPK and STAT3 are thought to be involved in the development of up to 70% of melanomas. Protein pathways like these help cancer cells multiply and spread, so there is scientific interest in devising effective ways to shut these pathways down.  Leelamine, a compound present in pine bark, could be the first of a new unique class of drugs that will simultaneously target these key protein pathways. Leelamine works by shutting down cholesterol transport and its movement around the cancer cell. By shutting down cholesterol transport and movement, the exceptionally active survival communication that cancer cells require is shut down. The end result is death of the cancer cell. Submitting that: “This study is the first report demonstrating that leelamine is a lysosomotropic, intracellular cholesterol transport inhibitor with potential chemotherapeutic properties leading to inhibition of autophagic flux and induction of cholesterol accumulation in lysosomal-endosomal cell compartments,” the study authors write that: “the findings of this study show the potential of leelamine to disrupt cholesterol homeostasis for treatment of advanced stage cancers.”