February 21, 2008

Newcastle disease to be studied for cancer treatment
 

A grant of US$430,000 has been given to researchers who seek to develop cancer treatment from the virulent Newcastle Disease.

The grant will allow Dr Elankumaran Subbiah of Virginia Tech; and Siba Samal of University of Maryland, to build on existing research that is focused on the use of reverse genetics to alter the Newcastle Disease virus (NDV) to treat prostrate cancer.

Through the reverse genetics system, recombined viruses can be designed to possess certain properties that can be used as live vaccines and cancer therapies. The alteration is accomplished by introducing desired changes in the cDNA (Complementary DNA), which are then transferred to the recombinant virus.

Subbiah said the recombinant NDV will be targeted against different types of proteases. Different types of cancer cells secrete different types of proteases, and they are constructing the virus to match the type of protease secreted by the cancer cells.

Normal and healthy cells have an interferon anti-viral system that prevents replication of the virus but cancer cells have defective interferon anti-viral systems, a flaw which would be utilised by NDV to replicate in the diseased cells. Replication of the NDV will then kill the disease cell.

The use of poultry viruses as cancer therapy poses no harm to humans and many other oncolytic viruses are currently being analysed to treat cancer.

"We are excited about the endless possibilities that Newcastle Disease virus offers to treat cancer," said Subbiah.