‘Cancer-proof’ mouse created
US researchers have created a genetically altered mouse that is resistant to cancer. The animal, which has an activated version of a gene called Par-4 added to its genetic material, could lead to new cancer treatments that exploit the protective properties of the protein made by this gene.
The work, carried out by a team at the University of Kentucky, follows the discovery of the Par-4 gene by UK scientists in the early 1990s. They found that the gene can trigger the self-destruction of a wide range of cancer cells, but, crucially, does not harm normal cells.
Current methods of cancer treatment involve surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. These treatments are quite crude - they do not distinguish between healthy and cancer cells, which leads to side-effects such as pain, nausea and hair loss.
In the new research, published in the journal Cancer Research, the gene was implanted into mouse egg cells. Despite choosing a strain of mouse that is particularly vulnerable to certain types of cancer, no signs of the disease were identified in the genetically altered mice. In an untreated group of animals, after 18 months, 15 of 33 mice had developed liver cancer and 18 of 33 had cancer of the spleen. The treated mice also lived an average of a couple of months longer than the untreated animals.
A spokesperson for Cancer Research UK stressed that the research was a long way from human trials: 'It's important to remember that this work has only been done using genetically engineered mice, and more research is needed before we'll know if it can be translated to humans'.
Sources:
Gene allows mouse to beat cancer
Cancer Resistance in Transgenic Mice Expressing the SAC Module of Par-4