Fireflies and Cancer

The Osgood File (CBS Radio Network): 6/17/04, 12/27/04, 6/3/05, 7/12/05

Researchers are working on a treatment for cancer that uses the same chemical reaction that makes fireflies flash. Why do ire !ie" !a"h o# war$ "%$$er e&e#i#'"( )hey are %"i#' their !i'ht to ad&erti"e or $ate"* Now, "+ie#ti"t" ho,e to %"e ire !y !i'ht i# a#other way: to treat +a#+er* )reat$e#t with !i'ht i" a# %#%"%a! -%t e e+ti&e way to de"troy t%$or"* .t work" !ike thi": )he ,atie#t i" i#/e+ted with a +he$i+a! that $ake" a!! the +e!!" i# the -ody "e#"iti&e to !i'ht* )he #or$a! +e!!" 'et rid o thi" +he$i+a! 0%i+k!y, -%t the +a#+er +e!!" ha#' o#to it !o#'er* Whi!e the +a#+er +e!!" "ti!! +o#tai# the +he$i+a!, the ,atie#t i" e1,o"ed to !a"er !i'ht* )he !i'ht +a%"e" a +he$i+a! rea+tio# that re!ea"e" a to1i+ "%-"ta#+e, ki!!i#' the +a#+er +e!!"* 2i'ht thera,y doe" a 'ood /o- ki!!i#' e"o,ha'ea! a#d 'a"tri+ t%$or", a#d it doe"#3t +a%"e the %#,!ea"a#t "ide e e+t" o +o#&e#tio#a! +he$othera,y* 4 draw-a+k o !i'ht thera,y i" that the !a"er !i'ht %"ed i# treat$e#t +a#3t ,a"" thro%'h $ore tha# 3 +$ (1 1/5 i#+h) o ti""%e* )hat $ea#" it +a#6t -e %"ed to treat +a#+er dee, i#"ide the -ody* 2i'ht i" %"ed o#!y to treat t%$or" o# the "ki#, or ,!a+e" that +a# -e ea"i!y e1,o"ed to !i'ht %"i#' a i-er7o,ti+ !i'ht "o%r+e* .# ad%!t ire !ie", !i'ht i" ,rod%+ed thro%'h a +he$i+a! rea+tio# +a!!ed bioluminescence* Ce!!" i# the ire !y !i'ht or'a# (whi+h i" at the ti, o the a-do$e#) $ake two +o$,o%#d": a ,rotei# +a!!ed !%+i eri# a#d a# e#8y$e +a!!ed !%+i era"e* .# the ,re"e#+e o o1y'e# ,!%" a# e#er'y "o%r+e +a!!ed 4)9 (,re"e#t i# a!! +e!!"), !%+i era"e rea+t" with !%+i eri# a#d !i'ht i" e$itted a" a -y,rod%+t* ,,: .# a# e1,eri$e#t +o#d%+ted at the Natio#a! ;edi+a! 2a"er Ce#ter at <#i&er"ity Co!!e'e i# 2o#do#, "+ie#ti"t" i#"erted the ire !y 'e#e or !%+i era"e i#to +a#+er7!ike +e!!" 'rowi#' i# the !a-* =<"i#' a $ode! >i#"tead o a !i&e a#i$a! or h%$a#? i" a!way" the ir"t "te, i# re"ear+h !ike thi",@ "aid !ead "+ie#ti"t Ar* )heodo""i" )heodo""io%* )o 'et the ire !y 'e#e i#to the +e!!", the re"ear+her" #eeded a &e+tor77the +e!!%!ar e0%i&a!e#t o a de!i&ery tr%+k* )hey %"ed "o$ethi#' +a!!ed a ,!a"$id* 4 ,!a"$id i" a "$a!! ,ie+e o -a+teria! AN4 )he re"ear+her" %"ed 'e#eti+ e#'i#eeri#' to $ake ,!a"$id" that had a ire !y 'e#e a" ,art o their AN4* )he ,!a"$id" "%++e"" %!!y erried the ire !y 'e#e i#to the tar'et +e!!"* )hi" 'a&e the +a#+er7!ike +e!!" the a-i!ity to $ake !%+i era"e (the ire !y e#8y$e)* Ne1t the "+ie#ti"t" ,o%red i# a ,hoto"e#"iti8i#' a'e#tBa +he$i+a! that $ade the +e!!" "e#"iti&e to !i'ht* Ci#a!!y, the "+ie#ti"t" added the +o$,o%#d !%+i eri#* )he !%+i era"e rea+ted with the !%+i eri#, the +e!!" !it %,, a#d 5D ,er+e#t o the +a#+er7!ike +e!!" were ki!!ed withi# 24 hr"* )he "+ie#ti"t" ha&e a# a+ro#y$ or their te+h#i0%e: B24Ae (Bio2%$i#e"+e#+e 4+ti&ated Ae"tr%+tio# o +a#+er)* .# de&e!o,i#' thi" thera,y or h%$a#", the +ha!!e#'e i" how to de!i&er the key +o$,o#e#t" to +a#+er +e!!" o#!yBnot to #or$a! +e!!"* 9!a"$id", whi+h de!i&ered the 'e#e to +e!!" 'row# i# +%!t%re, do#3t work we!! with +e!!" i# a !i&i#' a#i$a!* So the re"ear+her" wi!! te"t two other &e+tor", a Etar'eted !i,o"o$eE a#d a# ade#o&ir%" &e+tor* 4 !i,o"o$e i" a ti#y $e$-ra#e7wra,,ed ,a+ka'e* 4# ade#o&ir%" i" the ty,e o &ir%" that ty,i+a!!y +a%"e" re",iratory ai!$e#t" i# h%$a#"* .t re+o'#i8e" a tar'et +e!!, '!o$" o#to it, a#d d%$," it" +o#te#t" i#"ide* )he re"ear+her" thi#k either o the"e &e+tor" $i'ht work to "eek o%t +a#+er +e!!", the# 'et the ire !y 'e#e i#"ide* )heodo""io% +a!!" -oth o the"e &e+tor" Ea +ro"" -etwee# a )ro/a# hor"e a#d a "$art -o$-*E 2ike a "$art -o$-, they +a# i#d their way to +a#+er +e!!" a!! -y the$"e!&e"* 2ike a )ro/a# hor"e, they "ee$ har$!e""B%#ti! the +a#+er +e!!" !et the$ i#*