@Article{mcb.2009.006.175,
AUTHOR = {R. M. Ardito Marretta, G. Barbaraci},
TITLE = {Digital control circuitry of cancer cell and its apoptosis},
JOURNAL = {Molecular \& Cellular Biomechanics},
VOLUME = {6},
YEAR = {2009},
NUMBER = {3},
PAGES = {175--190},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/mcb/v6n3/28487},
ISSN = {1556-5300},
ABSTRACT = {This study, through a typical aerospace systems architecture, suggests an engineering design of a human cancer cell circuitry in which a digital optimal control matrix is assigned to repair the DNA damage level and/or to trigger its apoptosis.<br/>
Here, the conceived machinery is proposed taking into account the state of the art in cancer investigation. However, it could be further generalized. The most recent studies on cancer pathologies give a predominant role to the oncosuppressor protein p53 and its antagonist, the oncogene Mdm2.<br/>
Experimental and theoretical approaches are in agreement in deducing a “digital” response of the p53 when genomic integrity is damaged. Once DNA damage is present, the mutual influence of p53 and its antagonist, the Mdm2 oncogene, is closed in a feedback loop.<br/>
In this work, starting from these current results, a novel molecular mechanism is proposed, based on a digital optimal control law, whereby p53 and Mdm2 proteins activities can be represented by appropriate circuitry and governed by the optimal control law of digital systems.<br/>
This procedure obtains a real-time sequence evaluation of protein oscillations and an unexpected and relevant acceleration in the DNA repairing when suitable digital control matrix is implemented.<br/>
Those effects suggest interesting perspectives for future scientific investigations.<br/>
First of all, the proposed digital circuitry, receiving the p53 signal from a damaged cell, is able to repair the current level of genomic alteration. Moreover, the cell fate is newly conceived and bound by the modified pulsing mechanism of p53.},
DOI = {10.3970/mcb.2009.006.175}
}