Posted by
Roblimo
on from the immune-cells-on-the-run dept.
hajmola writes "according to this article, a study was carried out by researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center using a particular HIV gene to fight cancerous tumors."
vpr-method of destruction
by
dondelelcaro
·
· Score: 3
As I was piqued by the article on the use of vpr as an anti cancer drug, and the fact that it maintained that vpr did not have a "known" method of killing cells, I did a little search on melvyl to educate myself, and found that there actually is some extensive research on the "method" of vpr mediated cell apostasis.
It seems that vpr does indeed kill cells (indiscriminatly... a vesicle bound delivery mechanism is needed to deliver vpr on contact) in a manner quite different from that of p53. vpr induces caspases [1] which in turn causes the "cleavage of critical cellular substrates, including poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and lamins, so precipitating the dramatic morphological changes of apoptosis[,]" [2] resulting in cell death. (Of course, the article was absolutely correct, p53 is a totally separate mechanism[1])
Notably, the key with using such a drug against cancer, as with all cancer drugs, is a finely targeted delivery system. I suspect that if vpr sees clinical usage, it will either be in a vesical bound delivery system (antibody mediated vesical fusion) or a one time viral borne delivery system (such as HIV minus the ability to manufacture protein coats with the appropriate antibody mounted on the protein.)
1: Shostak LD; Ludlow J; Fisk J; Pursell S; Rimel BJ; Nguyen D; Rosenblatt JD; Planelles V. Roles of p53 and caspases in the induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis by HIV-1 vpr. Experimental Cell Research, 1999 Aug 25, 251(1):156-65.
2: Cohen GM. Caspases: the executioners of apoptosis. Biochemical Journal, 1997 Aug 15, 326 ( Pt 1):1-16.
Don Armstrong -".naidnE elttiL etah I"
-- http://www.donarmstrong.com
another final solution, not
by
jilles
·
· Score: 3
Every few weeks news like this seems to pop up: "major breaktrhrough in research". While often the research is relevant, it usually represents an incremental improvement. When I read a headline like this, I wonder: what type of cancer; what percentage of the cases of this specific type of cancer can be cured (100% is rare); has there been any case studies yet or is this another laboratory experiment.
Slashdot Mirror
For a bit more technical info (although a bit old), see http://www.rochester.edu/College/McNair-Program/19 96Journal/BiologyAbstracts96.html. Vicente Planelles seems to have two patents, US05639619 and US05721104, for testing anti-HIV drugs using VPR, but I couldn't find any for using VPR against cancer..
Amiga - Back for the future!
As I was piqued by the article on the use of vpr as an anti cancer drug, and the fact that it maintained that vpr did not have a "known" method of killing cells, I did a little search on melvyl to educate myself, and found that there actually is some extensive research on the "method" of vpr mediated cell apostasis.
It seems that vpr does indeed kill cells (indiscriminatly... a vesicle bound delivery mechanism is needed to deliver vpr on contact) in a manner quite different from that of p53. vpr induces caspases [1] which in turn causes the "cleavage of critical cellular substrates, including poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and lamins, so precipitating the dramatic morphological changes of apoptosis[,]" [2] resulting in cell death. (Of course, the article was absolutely correct, p53 is a totally separate mechanism[1])
Notably, the key with using such a drug against cancer, as with all cancer drugs, is a finely targeted delivery system. I suspect that if vpr sees clinical usage, it will either be in a vesical bound delivery system (antibody mediated vesical fusion) or a one time viral borne delivery system (such as HIV minus the ability to manufacture protein coats with the appropriate antibody mounted on the protein.)
1: Shostak LD; Ludlow J; Fisk J; Pursell S; Rimel BJ; Nguyen D; Rosenblatt JD; Planelles V. Roles of p53 and caspases in the induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis by HIV-1 vpr. Experimental Cell Research, 1999 Aug 25, 251(1):156-65.
2: Cohen GM. Caspases: the executioners of apoptosis. Biochemical Journal, 1997 Aug 15, 326 ( Pt 1):1-16.
Don Armstrong -".naidnE elttiL etah I"
http://www.donarmstrong.com
Every few weeks news like this seems to pop up:
"major breaktrhrough in research". While often the research is relevant, it usually represents an incremental improvement. When I read a headline like this, I wonder: what type of cancer; what percentage of the cases of this specific type of cancer can be cured (100% is rare); has there been any case studies yet or is this another laboratory experiment.
To be short I'm highly sceptical.
Jilles