Janus-faced molecule

A Janus molecule (or Janus-faced molecule) is a molecule which can represent both beneficial and toxic effects. The term Janus-faced molecule is derived from the ancient Roman god, Janus. Janus is depicted as having two faces; one facing the past and one facing the future.[1] This is synonymous to a Janus molecule having two distinct purposes: a beneficial and a toxic purpose depending on its quantity.

Examples

Examples of a Janus-faced molecule are nitric oxide[2] and cholesterol.[3] In the case of cholesterol, the property that makes cholesterol useful in cell membranes, namely its absolute insolubility in water, also makes it lethal. When cholesterol accumulates in the wrong place, for example within the walls of an artery, it cannot be readily mobilized, and its presence eventually leads to the development of an atherosclerotic plaque.

One such example of a Janus-faced molecule is S100A8/A9 protein complex; this complex is associated with autoimmune and abnormal growth of cells disorders. S100 is integral in the fight against cancer, S100 induces phagocytes that phagocytize malignant tumor cells which results in apoptosis.[4]

Proteoglycans are another class of molecules that display this duality, under certain chemical conditions these molecules can emerge as inhibitors or promoters[5]. Recent studies have shown that proteoglycans can play an integral role in the metastasis of cancer. Another molecule that falls within this class of molecules is DKK1. This molecule's presence can trigger cancers to display both metastatic as well as anti-metastatic properties especially pertaining to breast cancers. It has been studied that DKK1 secretion can be associated with promoting breast cancer metastasis to the bone as well as the suppression of metastasis to the lungs.[6] Botulinum neurotoxins also portray these dichotomous roles. This specific molecule is formed by Clostridium Botulinum, a spore forming bacteria. If this bacteria contaminates food, the results can be fatal and can lead to death. Yet, despite their toxicity which is lethal even in small doses, these molecules can be used in a wide array of pharmacological applications; one such application is the one utilized in cosmetology .[7]

Gamma peptide nucleic acid (PNA) (synthetic DNA and RNA analogs) is another Janus molecule which slips between DNA strands.[8] The gamma PNA could be inserted between strands of DNA or RNA to recognize sequences or elements that could potentially cause known diseases through its bifacial recognition. It does so by inserting itself when the DNA or RNA strand is undergoing transcription to conduction transcriptional regulation. However, there are still ongoing challenges with this Janus molecule that requires further research and experimentation.[9]

See also

References
  1. Hammond NG, Scullard HH (1970). The Oxford classical dictionary (Second ed.). Oxford. ISBN 978-0198691174. OCLC 102949.
  2. Calabrese V, Mancuso C, Calvani M, Rizzarelli E, Butterfield DA, Stella AM (October 2007). "Nitric oxide in the central nervous system: neuroprotection versus neurotoxicity". Nature Reviews. Neuroscience. 8 (10): 766–75. doi:10.1038/nrn2214. PMID 17882254.
  3. "A Receptor-Mediated Pathway for Cholesterol Homeostasis". Joseph L. Goldstein Nobel Lecture. The Nobel Foundation.
  4. Ghavami S, Chitayat S, Hashemi M, Eshraghi M, Chazin WJ, Halayko AJ, Kerkhoff C (December 2009). "S100A8/A9: a Janus-faced molecule in cancer therapy and tumorgenesis". European Journal of Pharmacology. 625 (1–3): 73–83. doi:10.1016/j.ejphar.2009.08.044. PMID 19835859.
  5. Tímár J, Lapis K, Dudás J, Sebestyén A, Kopper L, Kovalszky I (June 2002). "Proteoglycans and tumor progression: Janus-faced molecules with contradictory functions in cancer". Seminars in Cancer Biology. 12 (3): 173–86. doi:10.1016/S1044-579X(02)00021-4. PMID 12083848.
  6. Zhuang X, Zhang H, Li X, Li X, Cong M, Peng F, et al. (October 2017). "Differential effects on lung and bone metastasis of breast cancer by Wnt signalling inhibitor DKK1". Nature Cell Biology. 19 (10): 1274–1285. doi:10.1038/ncb3613. PMID 28892080.
  7. Stern D, Weisemann J, Le Blanc A, von Berg L, Mahrhold S, Piesker J, et al. (May 2018). "A lipid-binding loop of botulinum neurotoxin serotypes B, DC and G is an essential feature to confer their exquisite potency". PLoS Pathogens. 14 (5): e1007048. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1007048. PMC 5951583. PMID 29718991.
  8. "Synthetic molecule invades double-stranded DNA". EurekAlert!. Retrieved 2019-12-05.
  9. "Two-Faced Molecule Slips between DNA Strands". GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News. 2018-11-15. Retrieved 2019-12-05.
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