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June 22, 2005
AAV2 has great potential to be developed as an anti-cancer agent
Topics: Medical Science NewsAdeno-associated virus gets its name because it is often found in cells that are simultaneously infected with adenovirus. However, by itself it seems to be harmless.
Unlike adenovirus, AAV
* does not stimulate inflammation in the host
* does not elicit antibodies against itself
* can enter non-dividing cells
* integrates successfully into one spot in the genome of its host (on chromosome 19 in humans).
Now, we are hearing that according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers, six days is all it takes for adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV2), a common, non-disease-causing virus, to kill cervical, breast, prostate and squamous cell cancer cells in laboratory cultures. The study was presented June 20, 2005, at the 24th annual meeting of the American Society for Virology held June 18-22 at Penn State, University Park campus.
Other researchers reported on June 9 of this year that recent advances in AAV-vector technology suggest that AAV-based vectors can be used for cancer gene therapy and that their comparative analysis had revealed that, although AAV2 is the most promising candidate for such an application, serotypes 1 and 3 are valid alternatives. So the work of the Penn State researchers is not only supported by another study, but it appears that serotypes 1,2, and 3 are valid candidates for application in cancer gene therapy.
(...) "Our results suggest that adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV2), which infects the majority of the population but has no known ill effects, kills multiple types of cancer cells yet has no effect on healthy cells,"(...) "We believe that AAV2 recognizes that the cancer cells are abnormal and destroys them. This suggests that AAV2 has great potential to be developed as an anti-cancer agent."
(...) The study was presented June 20, 2005, at the 24th annual meeting of the American Society for Virology held June 18-22 at Penn State, University Park campus.
Suggested reading:
Adeno-associated virus serotypes 1 to 5 mediated tumor cell directed gene transfer and improvement of transduction efficiency.
Posted by Richard at June 22, 2005 11:20 AM
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