Plant pathogen yields substance to fight neuroblastoma

Drug treatment of **neuroblastoma**, a tumor of the nervous system in children, poses major problems. Therefore, scientists at the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) have been searching for substances that are suitable as a basis for developing better drugs. Now they have found a candidate: **HC-toxin**, which is isolated from a fungal plant pathogen. The substance from the **maize pathogen** reprograms neuroblastoma cells in such a way that they behave almost like healthy cells again. "EurekAlert!":[ http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-01/haog-ppy011708.php]

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