Carcinogenesis and chemotherapy viewed from the perspective of stoichiometric network analysis (SNA): what can the biological system of the elements contribute to an understanding of tumour induction by elemental chemical noxae (e.g., Ni2+ , Cd2+ ) and to an understanding of chemotherapy?

The biological application of stoichiometric network analysis (SNA) permits an understanding of tumour induction, carcinogenesis, and chemotherapy. Starting from the Biological System of the Elements, which provides a comprehensive treatment of the functions and distributions of chemical (trace) ele...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:TheScientificWorld 2003-05, Vol.3, p.319-341
Main Authors: Fränzle, Stefan, Markert, Bernd
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cadmium - chemistry
Cadmium - classification
Cadmium - metabolism
Carcinogens - chemistry
Carcinogens - classification
Carcinogens - metabolism
Models, Biological
Neoplasms - drug therapy
Neoplasms - etiology
Nickel - chemistry
Nickel - classification
Nickel - metabolism
Noxae - chemistry
Noxae - classification
Noxae - metabolism
Review
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Summary:The biological application of stoichiometric network analysis (SNA) permits an understanding of tumour induction, carcinogenesis, and chemotherapy. Starting from the Biological System of the Elements, which provides a comprehensive treatment of the functions and distributions of chemical (trace) elements in biology, an attempt is made to interrelate the essential feature of biology and--regrettably--of tumour genesis by superimposing SNA reasoning on common features of all crucial biological processes. For this purpose, aspects, effects and drawbacks of autocatalysis (identical reproduction which can occur either under control or without control [in tumours]) are linked with the known facts about element distributions in living beings and about interference of metals with tumours (in terms of both chemotherapy and carcinogenesis). The essential role of autocatalysis in biology and the drawbacks of either controlled or spontaneous cell division can be used to understand crucial aspects of carcinogenesis and chemotherapy because SNA describes and predicts effects of autocatalysis, including phase effects that may be due to some kind of intervention. The SNA-based classifications of autocatalytic networks in cell biology are outlined here to identify new approaches to chemotherapy.
ISSN:1537-744X
2356-6140
1537-744X
DOI:10.1100/tsw.2003.01