On the calculation of hyperthermic temperatures for cancer therapy.
Using the idea that random repression of the genome occurs in a neoplastic cell I have calculated the temperature at which the protein repressor no longer binds anywhere on the genome. The "melting temperature", Tm, occurs when the Gibbs free energy for binding vanishes. For mice the observed value gives Tm = 42.5 degrees C. Using the experimental result for mice, Tm is calculated for humans to be 40.55 degrees C. At such temperatures the immune system should have a maximum efficiency for eliminating neoplastic cells. Experiments on rats have confirmed the fact that the immune system is stimulated by elevated temperatures as well as the fact that outright killing occurs because of thermal effects.
D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D051379:Mice; D008938:Mitosis; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D011485:Protein Binding; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000502:physiology
D012097:Repressor Proteins; D004247:DNA