50-yr-old bacteria may help your body’s own immune system to kill cancer

A University of Missouri researcher has found a new way to help the body's immune system destroy cancer, with the help of a more than 50-year-old strain of bacteria.

By: Longjam Dineshwori | | Updated: January 18, 2021 11:16 am

Cancer cells have the ability to evade our body's immune system and form tumours.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally. Unfortunately, currently, there’s no true cure for it. Cancer is a group of large number of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. Scientists have been trying to use our body’s own immune system to kill cancer cells. Also Read - Scientists find a way to stop the spread of colorectal cancer tumours

Normally, our body’s immune system identifies and destroys foreign entities in the body. But cancer cells have the ability to evade detection and form tumours. The good news is – a University of Missouri researcher has found a new way to help the body’s immune system get past that deception and destroy cancer. Also Read - Kidney cancer: Are you at risk too? Warning symptoms you should know

“Normal cells put up a ‘don’t-eat-me’ molecular flag that is recognized by immune cells, thereby preventing the destruction of normal tissues. But some cancers have also developed the ability to mimic normal cells and produce this ‘don’t eat me’ signal. As a consequence, the immune system fails to recognise cancer as a defective tissue and leaves it alone,” explained Yves Chabu, assistant professor in the Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, as reported by ANI. Also Read - Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of prostate cancer progression: Study

Immunotherapy drugs essentially block the “don’t-eat-me” signal and allow the immune-system to kill cancer cells.

Using old bacteria strain to fight prostate cancer

Immunotherapies may not, however, work on some forms of cancer, like prostate cancer which are highly immunosuppressive, meaning that they can overpower the body’s immune system.

Chabu have apparently unlocked a solution to this problem with the help of a more than 50-year-old strain of bacteria.

According to Chabu, the bacteria is genetically pliable, and can be genetically modified to overcome patient-specific therapeutic limits.

“One can envision genetically modifying the bacteria such that it can unload therapeutics that specifically exploit that cancer’s unique vulnerabilities and kill it,” the researcher was quoted as saying.

In fact, scientists at the Cancer Research Centre and the University of Missouri had already developed a genetically distinct and non-toxic strain of salmonella, called CRC2631, to select and kill cancer cells. It was derived from a strain of salmonella that had been stored at room temperature for over half a century.

Now, Chabu and other scientists are demonstrating the potential use of CRC2631 to unleash the body’s immune system against prostate cancer.

As CRC2631 preferentially colonises tumour cells, the effect is mainly localized to the tumour, Chabu said while suggesting that it can be used to design and deliver patient-tailored therapeutics.

Prostate cancer: When should you consult a doctor?

Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in males. It begins in the prostate gland, a small walnut-shaped gland in males that produces the seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm.

Mostly it occurs in middle-aged men or older. It is estimated that about 60 percent of the cases occur in men older than age 65.

Like all cancers, there are many risk factors for prostate, including a family history, obesity, genetic changes, exposure to certain chemicals, etc. Common symptoms of prostate cancer include urinary problems, sexual problems, and pain in the pelvic, back and chest. So, if you have any of these symptoms, don’t hesitate to consult a doctor.

Published : January 17, 2021 9:40 pm | Updated:January 18, 2021 11:16 am

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