Author: Juliana Aboukasem
Researchers from Griffith University in Queensland may have found a cure for cervical cancer with a 100 percent survival rate.
Thanks to the breakthrough in gene-editing technology, researchers have been testing how it works on mice with cervical cancer tumors using ‘stealth’ nanoparticles to target and remove cervical cancer tumors. This is the first cancer cure using this type of technology and the results are promising. Professor Nigel McMillan has revealed that out of all the mice that were treated in the lab all of them had survived meaning this type of technology raises hope for women with cervical cancer. According to scientists, the procedure is simple, the gene-editing technology, known as CRISPER-Cas9, is injected into the patient’s bloodstream. The nanoparticles then search for the cancer-causing gene and cut the gene in half. When the cell repairs the gene with extra DNA, the cell doesn’t recognize the cancerous cells and regrows with healthy components.
In scientific terms, human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common cause of cervical cancer. HPV E6 oncoprotein promotes the degradation of host tumor suppressor gene p53, leading to the development of tumors. Targeting and destroying E6 (which is constitutively expressed in tumors and is not present in normal tissues) would be highly effective and safe allowing the cancer to die. CRISPER-Cas9 (one of the genome editing technologies) is used to knockout target gene expression this is done by combining cervical cancer cell lines engineered to constitutively express Cas9 and an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector carrying a single guide (sg) RNA targeting E6 (AAV-sgE6) then transferring this into high-risk HPV-positive cervical cancer mice models allowed the effects to be examined. The results demonstrated that multiple mutations occurred frequently in the targeted E6 genomic sequence in cervical cancer cells transduced with AAV-sgE6. Also, these AAV-sgE6-transduced cells had reduced expression of E6, increased expression of p53, increased apoptosis and their growth was suppressed in a concentration-dependent manner. “We looked for lots of markers, inflammation, and damage, but the mice were perfectly fine, so this is very exciting.” - Professor Nigel McMillan. The present results lead researchers to believe that targeting E6 expression in high-risk HPV by CRISPR-Cas9 is a highly specific and effective strategy that may be effective in treating patients with cervical cancer. Professor McMillan doesn’t hide the fact that there are still many steps to go through however this a huge breakthrough in the treatment of cervical cancer. Professor McMillan has applied for a grant to begin human trials within four years.
Cervical cancer only occurs in women, it is a type of cancer that takes place in the cells of the cervix which is in the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina. Various strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection, play a role in causing most cervical cancer. If left untreated the cancer can spread to other parts of the body and become deadly. It is more common in less developed areas of the world nevertheless The American Cancer Society estimates for cervical cancer in the United States for 2020: About 13,800 new cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed. About 4,290 women will die from cervical cancer.
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