英国科学家：改良病毒可能开启肝癌免疫系统

近日，一项新的研究表明，经过改良的病毒可对肝癌细胞进行免疫攻击。英国利兹大学的研究人员发现，呼肠孤病毒的改良形式能够刺激免疫系统以破坏老鼠的肝癌细胞。

该研究发表在期刊Gut上，同时发现该病毒可以阻止引起肝癌的丙型肝炎病毒的生长。我们的研究为常见的原发性肝癌类型建立了一种全新的病毒免疫治疗”，癌症研究所的Alan Melcher教授说。

研究人员建议，病毒的双击可能比目前用于治疗肝癌的方法更具有效性。

研究患有肝癌的小鼠，用经改良的呼肠弧病毒治疗导致肿瘤细胞死亡。而那些由丙型肝炎病毒引起的肝癌，病毒治疗则阻止有害病毒的繁殖。

研究小组也发现，这种经过改良的病毒作为一种免疫治疗方式，启动免疫系统对抗癌症。这导致称为干扰素的免疫分子的释放，其激活称为自然杀伤细胞的一种类型的白细胞。自然杀死细胞后，识别和破坏肿瘤细胞，从而干扰素阻止丙型肝炎病毒生长。

该研究的领导人伦敦癌症研究所Alan Melcher教授说：“我们的研究为常见的原发性肝癌建立了一种全新的病毒免疫治疗，肝细胞癌的预后差一种高级形式”。

来自英国利兹大学的研究人员Adel Samson博士说：“通过病毒治疗癌症的这种方法在临床试验中显示出巨大潜力”。而且“个这样的病毒近已被授权用于治疗皮肤癌的药物”。

肝癌是全球癌症死亡的大常见原因，是英国癌症死亡的第九大常见原因。

大多数病例与乙型肝炎或丙型肝炎病毒的感染有关。随着时间的推移，这可能导致肝细胞损伤和器官瘢痕。

英国癌症研究院的高级科学信息官Justine Alford博士说：“通过对细胞和小鼠的研究表明，使用无害的溶瘤病毒可作为增强免疫的组合拳对抗肝癌和引起癌症的丙型肝炎病毒的可能性。”

“早期的这些结果也表明溶瘤病毒可以更广泛地用于治疗由于病毒引起的癌症。

“在这些癌症患者中，病毒可能是治疗的主要障碍。因此，我们迫切需要新的行之有效的方法来解决问题的根源。下一步将是看这种技术是否在患者身上也具有可行性。（美域健康漆琳编译）

Modified virus could turn immune system on liver cancer

A modified virus could be used to launch an immune attack on liver cancer cells, a new study has revealed. 

Researchers at the University of Leeds found that a modified form of Reovirus is able to stimulate the immune system to destroy liver cancer cells in mice. 

The study, published in the journal Gut, also found that the virus can stop the hepatitis C virus, which is a cause of liver cancer, from growing.

“Our study establishes a completely new type of viral immunotherapy for the most common primary liver cancer type” – Professor Alan Melcher, Institute of Cancer Research.

The researchers suggest that the virus’ double blow may be a more effective treatment than what is currently available for liver cancer.  

Studying mice with liver cancer, treatment with the modified Reovirus caused the tumour cells to die. And those that had liver cancer caused by the hepatitis C virus, the viral treatment stopped the harmful virus from reproducing. 

The team also found that the modified virus works as a type of immunotherapy, kick-starting the immune system into action against the cancer. This causes the release of an immune molecule called interferon, which activates a type of white blood cell called a Natural Killer Cell. 

The Natural Killer cells then recognise and destroy the tumour cells, while interferon blocks hepatitis C virus growth. 

Study co-leader Professor Alan Melcher, from the Institute of Cancer Research, London, said: “Our study establishes a completely new type of viral immunotherapy for the most common primary liver cancer type, hepatocellular carcinoma, which has a very poor prognosis in its advanced form.” 

Dr Adel Samson, a researcher on the study from the University of Leeds, said the approach of using viruses to treat cancer in this way was showing promise in clinical trials. And that “the first such virus has recently been licensed as a medicine for the treatment of skin cancer”.

Cancer that starts in the liver is the second most common cause of cancer death globally, and the ninth most common cause of cancer death in the UK. 

The majority of cases are linked to infection with the hepatitis B or C viruses, which can cause damage to liver cells and scarring of the organ over time. 

Dr Justine Alford, Cancer Research UK’s senior science information officer, said: “This study in cells and mice suggests the possibility of using a harmless oncolytic virus as an immune-boosting one-two punch against liver cancer and the cancer-causing hepatitis C virus. 

“These early results also suggest this oncolytic virus could be used more widely in the treatment of virus-driven cancers. 

    “In these cancers, the viruses can represent a major hurdle for treatment, so we urgently need new and effective ways to tackle the root of the problem.  The next step will be to see if this technique will work in patients.”