Medical scientists at Northwestern University have discovered that an attenuated virus can help eliminate cancer in mice.
The attenuated virus - lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) - functions safely in immunosuppressed mice.
“An important aspect of this viral therapy is that it demonstrates safety and efficacy in an immunosuppressed host,” said Pablo Peñaloza-McMaster, assistant professor of microbiology and immunology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. Killer T cells and special B cells for this treatment.
The scientists showed that in multiple tumor models, including melanoma and colon cancer, injecting mice with this virus resulted in tumor shrinkage and increased survival.
“LCMV stimulates a high immune response, but it can cause disease, especially in organ transplant patients,” Peñaloza-McMaster said. “However, using molecular biology, it is possible to weaken this virus and make it attenuated for use as a safe treatment. It appears that LCMV therapy could be used for different types.” From cancer."
In addition to helping remove tumors, the treatment also helped prevent cancer in the mice in the future. Healthy mice first treated with LCMV therapy were more resistant to developing tumors later in life.
This phenomenon can be explained by a poorly understood biological process known as “trained immunity,” whereby previous infection enhances the immune system’s ability to respond to various diseases in the future.
“Basically, this treatment may provide broader immune protection, helping the body protect against various diseases beyond the original target,” Peñaloza-McMaster added.
The scientists aim to test this approach on dogs with sarcoma.
If the dogs show improvement, scientists hope to launch a clinical trial using the treatment in humans.
The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Intriguing!
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