| From: |
Adeyemo Gabriel [ profile ] |
| Subject: |
HIV drug could prevent 'cervical cancer by killing off virus thatcauses disease
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| Sent: |
May 9th, 2011 - 10:24:10 |
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| |
Source:* Daily Mail*
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1383148/HIV-drug-prevent-cervical-cancer-killing-virus-causes-disease.html
Fellow Advocates, this is somewhat a great news for me and i want to share
it with you.
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The HIV drug lopinavir is selectively toxic to human papillomavirus-positive
cervical cells, a new study suggests.
About 3,000 UK women (and 8,000 Nigerian women) are diagnosed with cervical
cancer annually, mostly due to HPV infection by high-risk strains, which
have also been linked to oral cancers. Previous laboratory cell cultures
found the protease inhibitor killed HPV-infected cells but left healthy
cells relatively unharmed.
In the new study, Dr. Ian Hampson, of the University of Manchester, and
Canadian colleagues concluded that lopinavir's toxicity is related to its
ability to block viral proteasome activation and induce an up-regulation of
the antiviral protein Ribonuclease L. "Lopinavir kills these HPV-infected
cells by reactivating a well-known antiviral system that is suppressed by
HPV," Hampson said.
"This is a very significant finding as these cells are not cancer cells but
are the closest thing to being like the cells found in a precancerous HPV
infection of the cervix," Hampson said . However, an effective treatment
would need to be administered at a dosage 10-15 times that taken by HIV
patients. That could require a cream or vaginal insert rather than oral
formulation, said Hampson.
"These results are very exciting since they show that the drug not only
preferentially kills HPV-infected non-cancerous cells by reactivating known
antiviral defense systems, it is also much less toxic to normal
non-HPV-infected cells," said study co-author Dr. Lynne Hampson. "Our latest
findings provide very strong evidence to support a clinical trial using
topical application of this drug to treat HPV infections of the cervix."
The study, "Lopinavir up-regulates expression of the antiviral protein
ribonuclease L in human papillomavirus-positive cervical carcinoma cells,"
was published online ahead of the print edition of *Antiviral
Therapy*(2011; doi:10.3851/IMP1786).
More information available on the link above.
--
Many Thanks
Yours' in Prevention Science
Adeyemo Damilare Gabriel
Regional Focal Point - West Africa
Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AID (GYCA)
+234-80-6798-7317 | gabriel (at) gyca.org
www.gyca.org | www.tigweb.org
GYCA is a youth-led global network of more than 5,000 young leaders and
adult allies working on youth and HIV/AIDS in 150 countries world-wide.
GYCA's mission is to empower young leaders with the skills, knowledge,
resources and opportunities they need to scale up HIV/AIDS interventions
amongst their peers.
Universal Access is possible; *
*Zero new HIV infections. **Zero discrimination and ***Zero AIDS-related
deaths.***
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