Information from Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Univ. of California at San Francisco links hyaluronic acid and tumor progression:

See: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12385018&dopt=Abstract

Hyaluronidase reduces human breast cancer xenografts in SCID mice.

Shuster S, Frost GI, Csoka AB, Formby B, Stern R.

Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0511, USA.

A hyaluronan-rich environment often correlate with tumor progression. and may be one mechanism for the invasive behavior of malignancies. Eradication of hyaluronan by hyaluronidase administration could reduce tumor aggressiveness and would provide, therefore, a new anti-cancer strategy. Hyaluronan interaction with its CD44 receptor and the resulting signal transduction events may be among the mechanisms for hyaluronan-associated cancer progression. We have shown previously that hyaluronidase treatment of breast cancer cells in vitro not only eradicates hyaluronan but also modifies expression of CD44 variant exons of tumor cells. We now determine if such effects occur in vivo and if it is accompanied by tumor regression. SCID mice bearing xenografts of human breast carcinomas were given intravenous hyaluronidase. Tumor volumes decreased 50% in 4 days. Tumor sections showed decreased hyaluronan. Intensity of staining for CD44s was not affected, whereas staining for specific CD44 variant exon isoforms was greatly reduced in residual tumors. Necrosis was not evident. Hyaluronidase, used previously as an adjunct in cancer treatment, presumably to enhance penetration of chemotherapeutic drugs, may itself have intrinsic anti-cancer activity. Removing peritumor hyaluronan appears to cause an irreversible change in tumor metabolism. Continuous hyaluronan binding to CD44 variant exon isoforms may also be required to stabilize inherently unstable isoforms that participate perhaps in tumor progression. Further investigation is required to confirm a cause and effect relationship between loss of hyaluronan, changes in CD44 variant exon expression and tumor reduction. If confirmed, hyaluronidase may provide a new class of anti-cancer therapeutics and one without toxic side effects. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

PMID: 12385018 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Hyaluronan is the modern word for hyaluronic acid.

If you go to PubMed/National Library of Medicine and search under "cancer and hyaluronan" you'll find over 1100 references on this topic all confirming that hyaluronan speeds the rate of cancer progression.

Here's just some of what we found:

Curr Drug Targets Cardiovasc Haematol Disord. 2005 Feb;5(1):3-14.
*Hyaluronan and hyaluronan synthases: potential therapeutic targets
in cancer.*
*Adamia S, Maxwell CA, Pilarski LM.*

Oncol Rep. 2005 Jun;13(6):1101-5. *Role of hyaluronan and hyaluronan synthase in endometrial cancer. **Yabushita H, Kishida T, Fusano K, Kanyama K, Zhuo L, Itano N, Kimata K, Noguchi M.

* J Surg Res. 2004 Nov;122(1):70-4* Hyaluronan mediates adhesion of metastatic colon carcinoma cells. **Laurich C, Wheeler MA, Iida J, Neudauer CL, McCarthy JB, Bullard KM.*

Cancer Res. 2004 Jul 1;64(13):4569-76*Hyaluronan facilitates invasion of colon carcinoma cells in vitro via interaction with CD44. **Kim HR, Wheeler MA, Wilson CM, Iida J, Eng D, Simpson MA, McCarthy JB, Bullard KM.*

-Skin Biology

Skin Biology,

I'm a little confused -

Does this mean Hyaluronic Acid is good or bad?

Laura

Dear Laura:

Hyaluronic Acid (or Hyaluronan) has been linked in these studies to tumor/cancer progression. "A hyaluronan-rich environment often correlate with tumor progression."

So, Dr. Pickart definitely does not recommend it.

-Skin Biology

Thank you Skin Biology for your quick response!

Thanks for clearing that up for me - I'm glad that I'm not using Hyaluronic Acid!1

Laura

Actually, I'm a little confused too. For example:

quote:

SCID mice bearing xenografts of human breast carcinomas were given intravenous hyaluronidase. Tumor volumes decreased 50% in 4 days.

What's hyaluronidase?

thanks
Julie

I am confused too as I have no idea what these studies have to do with topic use of hyaluronic acid for the skin.

I think that is a huge leap.

Hyaluronic acid is a natural part of our connective tissue and skin that diminishes as we age.

Using the same medical search engine (PubMed), there are 1180 studies on the beneficial use of injectable hyaluron for joints alone.

These studies have no bearing on hyaluronic acid for topical use either, so I would never list them as a validation for using it.

I have defended SRCPs on this forum on numerous occasions when people have posted medical studies showing the harmful effects of copper peptides.

The reason I was able to dismantle the studies was because they were ususally done in test tubes, on rats, or included parameters that rendered the study of no relevance to the topical use of copper peptides on human skin.

Why are these studies relevant when the ones about copper peptides damaging the skin are not?

Deb

Excellent question. I'd like to hear Dr. Pickart's response to this if possible. Thanks.

Kathy

Do the studies that indicate that hyaluronic acid is a factor in the spread of tumors implicate the injectable form, the ingestable form, or the liquid form for topical use? Or none of the above? Cells themselves are cancer vectors, so isn't saying that hyaluronic acid, a naturally occuring substance in the body, is a cancer vector sort of like saying that cells themselves are cancer vectors? Do the studies indicate that any form of hyaluronic acid use (injection, ingestion, topical) spreads cancer faster?

One more thing. Doesn't the summary quote by Skin Biology state that the study indicates that hyaluronic acid is possibly an anti-cancer agent, rather than a cancer vector? I mean, the summary quoted says "SCID mice bearing xenografts of human breast carcinomas were given intravenous hyaluronidase. Tumor volumes decreased 50% in 4 days. . . . Hyaluronidase, used previously as an adjunct in cancer treatment, presumably to enhance penetration of chemotherapeutic drugs, may itself have intrinsic anti-cancer activity. . . . If confirmed, hyaluronidase may provide a new class of anti-cancer therapeutics and one without toxic side effects."

Am I reading this wrong or missing something?

I think some of the confusion is just over "hyaluronic acid" versus "hylauronan" and "hylauronidase."

"Hyaluronic acid" and "hyluronan" are the same thing, but "hyluronidase" is something different.
After seening all the confusion, I looked up hyaluronidase and it is defined as...


An enzyme that catalyzes the breakdown of hyaluronic acid in the body, thereby increasing tissue permeability to fluids

http://www.answers.com/hyaluronidase%20

As for the article, when I read it, I understand it to be saying that hyaluronidase is a substance that is being used in opposition to hylauronan, i.e. hyaluronic acid, which therefore slows the tumor that seems to thrive when hylauronan is overabundant.

quote:

... A hyaluronan-rich environment often correlate with tumor progression. and may be one mechanism for the invasive behavior of malignancies. Eradication of hyaluronan by hyaluronidase administration could reduce tumor aggressiveness ...

Make any more sense? If that's not right, them I'm totally confused as well.

That is exactly right Lilu as to the definition of hyaluron (hyaluronic acid) and hyalurondase.

Deb

Thanks, that helps some, but I'm still confused. Does hyluronidase cause a reduction in tumor size in the study quoted because it reduced the level of hyaluronic acid in the tissues, or because it increased tissue permeability to fluids? Those are not at all the same thing, as far as I can see. It is important to understand the mechanism so that we don't assume causation when actually there is mere correlation.

Also, even if it's the reduction in hyaluronic acid itself that is the cause of tumor reduction, it doesn't follow that hyaluronic acid in any way causes cancer. It only follows that it may make certain pre-existing forms of cancer more aggressive. I have seen confusion like this in discussions of finasteride. It is well-known that finasteride makes certain prostate cancers more aggressive. But it does not cause cancer.

I dont think any causation link has been proven, but there definately is a very high correlation between hyaluronic acid and skin cancer. Therefore being risk averse skin bio is saying to say away from it. I dont think anyone is claiming it causes cancer. Just its benefits dont warrant a risk like that.

The cancers were not skin cancer, and the hyaluronic acid was not applied topically to the skin.

The enzyme hyalurondase was either added to a test tube with cancerous cells or it, or was injected into an internal cancerous tumor , mostly in mice.

Our bodies are very rich in hyaluronic acid at all times, mostly in our connective tissue, but we do not get cancers there, where it's levels are highest in the body.

So, I still fail to see how these studies have any relevance to the topical use of hyaluronic acid.

If a casual link like this can be used to make that leap, then I had better stop using copper peptides based on the test tube and rat studies that show they destroy my DNA and cause my skin to age rapidly by glcation if combind with a topical that includes sugar molecules such as the aloe vera gel in Exfol.

Where did you get the idea David that there was a high correlation between skin cancer and hyaluronic acid?

Deb

Not only do the studies irrelevant to the use of topical hyaluronic acid, as far as I can see, but I don't see their relevance to ingested hyaluronic acid either. I can appreciate the "better safe than sorry" idea, but I have hard time understanding it when what we're talking about it attempting to replace a substance that declines as we age.

All I know is that since I have been added Injuv hyaluronic acid to my supplements, to go along with the MSM and glucosamine chondroiten that I was already taking, my knees feel better than they've felt in 30 years.

Deb, I could be wrong, but I remember reading a study of the correlation, though not 100% sure that it was skin cancer, but I think it was.

Again there are more than 1100 references confirming the findings that Dr. Pickart had us post. He thought it worthy to at least post this information - although it could be the subject of some debate and disagreement.

However, he stands firm on his opinion that hyaluronic acid is not good for skin. But of course, each one will do what he/she feels is right.

For more information (we might post back his responses when we get the chance to do so) - or you can feel free to give us a call or send an email to: healthyskin@earthlink.net / 1-800-405-1912

Thanks,
-Skin Biology

Quite bluntly i s it safe to use HA or not - a simple question.

Hoping the answer is as simple.From the article below it is fine can Exfol be used with HA or not?????

http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery;jsessionid=1of09l3k...uronidase&sbid=lc01b

Dear Miffny:

Simple answer: In Dr. Pickart's opinion - No

Laura wanted a direct answer also. This is how we replied:
http://healthyskin.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5220011...730040053#6730040053