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HIV will help in the treatment of cancer
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Can HIV turn into a biotech weapon against cancer? Can a deadly virus defeat cancer cells?
This question will be answered by scientists from the CNRS laboratory, who were engaged in research in this field.
In the fight against cancer, specialists have developed a fundamentally new method, which is a completely new technique - the treatment of cancer using the protein extracted from the AIDS virus. This protein gives the virus resistance to the body's immune systems.
The results of the research were published in the scientific journal PLoS Genetics. Based on the fact that HIV constantly updates itself, a certain type of its mutant protein was chosen.
Specialists found that it is able to deprive cancer cells of the ability to restore DNA after irradiation.
The study of this phenomenon was conducted by the staff of the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Strasbourg. For several years, they have tried to create a more effective formula for fighting cancer. Adding protein to the culture of tumor cells in combination with anti-cancer drugs, the specialists achieved a positive result.
To start, scientists changed the HIV genome by introducing a gene contained in all human cells - deoxycytidine kinase, a protein that activates the action of antitumor drugs.
In the future, on the basis of HIV infection, it will be possible to produce drugs that have a long-term therapeutic effect for the treatment of cancer.
Scientists managed to identify almost 80 mutated proteins and test their infected cells in combination with antitumor drugs.
After analyzing the effects of mutant proteins on cancer cells, the specialists selected the most effective deoxycytidine kinases.
For its existence in the human body, the AIDS virus uses human cells as a building material, with the help of which it reproduces. First of all, the virus inhabits its host cells with its genetic material. A distinctive feature of HIV is its constant mutation and hence the creation of several mutational models during its existence. It is this ability that allows the virus to remain immune to antiviral drugs and to co-reproduce.
The new method gives scientists hope for the possibility of reducing the dose of antitumor drugs for patients, and, consequently, reducing the side effects caused by their toxicity.
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