Genetically-modified virus explodes cancer cells

June 2, 2004 | Source: NewScientist. com News

A genetically-modified virus that exploits the selfish behaviour of cancer cells may offer a powerful and selective way of killing tumors.

Deleting a key gene from the virus enabled it to infect and burst cancer cells while leaving normal tissues unharmed.

The UK researchers deleted one such gene in an adenovirus. This meant that the virus was immediately detected by normal cells and was unable to spread. But in cancer cells, which grow uncontrollably and ignore the cell death process, the virus was able to thrive and spread rapidly. It then multiplied so vigorously that it killed the cancer cells by making them explode.