Microscopic view of cancer cells neutralized by TR35 from camel milk

Camel Milk: The Unexpected Champion in Esophageal Cancer Research?

Soraya Malik in Health & Wellness November 2025 • 4 min read.

"Scientists are exploring the potential of a unique compound found in camel milk to combat esophageal cancer, offering new hope for treatment."

Esophageal cancer remains a significant global health challenge, ranking as the eighth most common malignancy and the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Despite advances in cancer treatment, the prognosis for esophageal cancer patients remains poor, highlighting the urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies.

In a groundbreaking study, researchers investigated the potential anti-cancer properties of camel milk, a traditional food in some regions believed to possess medicinal qualities. The study focuses on a specific active fraction extracted from Xinjiang Bactrian camel milk, known as TR35, and its effects on esophageal carcinoma cells.

The research team conducted transcriptomic and proteomic analyses to understand the molecular mechanisms by which TR35 exerts its anti-cancer effects. This comprehensive approach allowed them to identify key genes and proteins involved in cancer cell growth, apoptosis, and other critical cellular processes.

How Does TR35 Fight Cancer Cells?

Microscopic view of cancer cells neutralized by TR35 from camel milk

The study's findings reveal that TR35 exhibits remarkable anti-cancer activity against esophageal carcinoma cells. In vitro experiments demonstrated that TR35 significantly inhibits the proliferation of Eca109 cells, a human esophageal cancer cell line. Further investigation revealed that TR35 induces apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in these cancer cells.

To validate these findings, the researchers conducted in vivo experiments using a mouse model. They found that TR35 effectively suppressed the growth of xenografted tumors in nude mice without causing any noticeable weight loss or adverse side effects. This suggests that TR35 may possess a selective toxicity towards cancer cells, sparing healthy tissues.

MTT Assay: TR35 treatment resulted in a concentration- and time-dependent suppression of cell growth and proliferation in Eca109 cells.
Cell Apoptosis Assay: TR35 led to a significant increase in the percentage of early or late apoptotic cells and a decrease in viable cells.
Nuclear Morphology Imaging: TR35 treatment caused nuclear fragmentation in Eco109 cells.
Caspase-3 Activity: TR35 significantly increased caspase-3 activity, a key enzyme involved in apoptosis, in a dose-dependent manner.

Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses provided deeper insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying TR35's anti-cancer activity. The researchers identified 405 differentially expressed genes and 55 differentially expressed proteins in TR35-treated Eca109 cells. KEGG pathway analysis revealed that these genes and proteins are involved in signaling pathways closely associated with cancer inhibition.

The Future of TR35 in Cancer Therapy

The findings of this study offer a compelling rationale for further exploration of TR35 as a potential therapeutic agent for esophageal cancer. While additional research is needed to fully elucidate its mechanisms of action and optimize its delivery, TR35 holds great promise as a novel approach to combatting this deadly disease. Further studies on the toxicological aspects of TR35 will be very important.

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Everything You Need To Know

What exactly is TR35, and why is it being researched in relation to esophageal cancer?

TR35 is a specific active fraction extracted from the milk of Xinjiang Bactrian camels. It's being investigated for its potential anti-cancer properties, particularly against esophageal carcinoma cells. Researchers are exploring how TR35 affects processes like cell growth and programmed cell death (apoptosis) to understand its anti-cancer mechanisms. Its significance lies in the possibility of providing a novel therapeutic approach for esophageal cancer, a disease with a poor prognosis.

How does TR35 actually work to fight cancer cells, according to the study?

Researchers found that TR35 can significantly inhibit the proliferation of esophageal cancer cells (specifically, the Eca109 cell line) in laboratory settings. Further, TR35 induces apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in these cancer cells. In animal studies, TR35 effectively suppressed the growth of tumors without causing significant side effects, suggesting it may selectively target cancer cells while sparing healthy tissues. This is important because current esophageal cancer treatments often have severe side effects and limited effectiveness.

What methods did the researchers use to understand how TR35 affects cancer cells?

The research used transcriptomic and proteomic analyses to study how TR35 affects cancer cells at the molecular level. These analyses helped identify specific genes and proteins that are influenced by TR35 treatment, revealing the signaling pathways involved in cancer inhibition. This approach allowed researchers to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of action of TR35.

What is apoptosis, and why is it important in the context of TR35's effect on cancer?

Apoptosis is programmed cell death, a natural process where cells self-destruct. Cancer cells often avoid apoptosis, allowing them to grow uncontrollably. TR35 induces apoptosis in esophageal cancer cells, which means it triggers these cells to self-destruct. This is a crucial mechanism for fighting cancer, as it helps eliminate cancerous cells from the body. Caspase-3 activity, which increases with TR35 treatment, is a key indicator of apoptosis.

What are the next steps in researching TR35 for cancer therapy?

While these findings are promising, further research is needed to fully understand how TR35 works and to optimize its use as a cancer therapy. Studies are needed to assess its toxicological aspects and to determine the most effective ways to deliver TR35 to cancer cells. If successful, TR35 could potentially be developed into a new treatment option for esophageal cancer, offering hope for improved outcomes for patients with this challenging disease. Further clinical trials would be needed to assess the effectiveness in humans.