Boron compound stresses and kills skin cancer cells in lab dishes
Boron
The boron in the boric acid you might sprinkle on a garden bed to fix a deficiency also shows biological activity in human cells, a reminder to handle it with care and stick to recommended doses.
Researchers exposed a line of human skin cancer cells to boric acid, a compound made from boron, which plants need in small amounts to grow. The cells suffered damage from a buildup of reactive oxygen molecules, and a signaling pathway that controls cell growth shifted. This was done in a dish, so it's a clue about how boron acts on cells, not a treatment.
Key Findings
1
Boric acid reduced the viability of MALME-3M human melanoma cells in culture.
2
Treatment was associated with oxidative stress, meaning a buildup of reactive oxygen molecules.
3
Boric acid changed Wnt signaling, a pathway that regulates cell growth and division.
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Technical Summary
Boric acid, the same boron compound plants need in tiny amounts, damaged human melanoma cells in a lab dish by stressing them with reactive oxygen molecules and altering a key growth-signaling pathway. It's early cell-culture work, so it says nothing yet about treating cancer or about garden use.
Soil health is the capacity of soil to function as a living ecosystem, supporting complex interactions between microorganisms, soil fauna, and plant communities. For plant science, soil health is critical because these biological and chemical soil properties directly control nutrient availability,