AI Summary
The article discusses a study in which Northwestern Medicine scientists found that an attenuated virus, Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus (LCMV), can help eliminate cancer in mice. Mice treated with this virus were more resistant to developing tumors later in life, with the therapy showing safety and efficacy even in immunosuppressed hosts. The study demonstrated promising results in shrinking tumors and increasing survival in multiple tumor models, including melanoma and colon cancer. The findings suggest the potential of using LCMV as therapy for various cancer types, showing advantages over current oncolytic virus therapies.
Northwestern Medicine scientists have discovered that an attenuated (weakened) virus can help eliminate cancer in mice. In addition, mice that were treated with this virus were more resistant to developing tumors later in life.
The attenuated virus -; lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) -; works and is safe even in immunosuppressed mice. That’s a critical finding, as many cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and other cancer treatments have suppressed immune systems.
An important aspect about this viral-based therapy is that it demonstrates safety and efficacy even in an immunosuppressed host. Mice that were devoid of their killer T cells and their B cells were nonetheless responsive to this therapy.”
Pablo Penaloza-MacMaster, corresponding author, assistant professor of microbiology-immunology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
The Northwestern scientists showed in multiple tumor models -; including melanoma and colon cancer -; that injecting tumor-bearing mice with this virus shrank the tumor and increased survival.
The study is published June 11 in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.
“LCMV induces a high immune response, but it can cause disease especially in transplant patients,” Penaloza-MacMaster said. “With molecular biology, however, it is possible to weaken this virus and render it attenuated for use as a safe therapy, while still being immunogenic. The other advantage is that it seems that the same LCMV therapy can be used for various types of cancer.”
Currently, so-called “oncolytic viruses” such as herpes are used to treat some types of cancer because of their ability to kill cancer cells. But these therapies are not effective with some