Zika Virus Identified As Potential Treatment For Brain Cancer
- 7 years ago
Researchers believe they have found a potentially live-saving use for the deadly Zika virus.
Researchers from two U.S. medical schools believe they have found a potentially live-saving use for the deadly Zika virus.
Studies performed by the team, which hails from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, suggest the virus could prove helpful in treating glioblastoma, an aggressive cancer affecting the brain.
A release about the finding notes, “the lethal power of the virus – known for infecting and killing cells in the brains of fetuses, causing babies to be born with tiny, misshapen heads – could be directed at malignant cells in the brain. “
Researchers, “tested whether the virus could kill stem cells in glioblastomas removed from patients at diagnosis. They infected tumors with one of two strains of Zika virus. Both strains spread through the tumors, infecting and killing the cancer stem cells while largely avoiding other tumor cells.”
It suggests, “that Zika infection and chemotherapy-radiation treatment have complementary effects. The standard treatment kills the bulk of the tumor cells but often leaves the stem cells intact to regenerate the tumor. Zika virus attacks the stem cells but bypasses the greater part of the tumor.”
Trials performed on living mice produced encouraging results as well.
Milan G. Chheda, one of the scientists, said, “We see Zika one day being used in combination with current therapies to eradicate the whole tumor.”
Researchers from two U.S. medical schools believe they have found a potentially live-saving use for the deadly Zika virus.
Studies performed by the team, which hails from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, suggest the virus could prove helpful in treating glioblastoma, an aggressive cancer affecting the brain.
A release about the finding notes, “the lethal power of the virus – known for infecting and killing cells in the brains of fetuses, causing babies to be born with tiny, misshapen heads – could be directed at malignant cells in the brain. “
Researchers, “tested whether the virus could kill stem cells in glioblastomas removed from patients at diagnosis. They infected tumors with one of two strains of Zika virus. Both strains spread through the tumors, infecting and killing the cancer stem cells while largely avoiding other tumor cells.”
It suggests, “that Zika infection and chemotherapy-radiation treatment have complementary effects. The standard treatment kills the bulk of the tumor cells but often leaves the stem cells intact to regenerate the tumor. Zika virus attacks the stem cells but bypasses the greater part of the tumor.”
Trials performed on living mice produced encouraging results as well.
Milan G. Chheda, one of the scientists, said, “We see Zika one day being used in combination with current therapies to eradicate the whole tumor.”