Good news for patients with cervical cancer!
Australia can possibly become the first country on the entire planet that can eliminate cervical cancer.
Thanks to the continued efforts of the researchers from Griffith University in Queensland, they used gene-editing technology to target cervical cancer in mice by using stealth nanoparticles.
Nigel McMillan, a professor and the lead researcher of the study, said it is the first cancer cure that uses this type of technology.
According to a report by ABC, the mice that were used in the study had a 100 percent survival rate.
Researchers used CRISPR-Cas9, a gene-editing tool, and injected it by nanoparticles into the bloodstream of the patients.
The stealth nanoparticles then search for the cancer-causing gene E7 and cut the entire gene in half.
The cells repaired with the gene with extra DNA, the cell did not recognize the cancerous cells and generates a healthy cell.
Talking about the nanoparticles, Professor Nigel McMillan said, “This is like adding a few extra letters into a word so the spell checker doesn’t recognize it anymore. Cancer must have this gene to produce, once edited, cancer dies. We looked for lots of markers, inflammation, and damage, but they were perfectly fine, so this is very exciting.”
Professor McMillan and Luqman Jabair, his research partner, have applied for a grant to begin human trials within the next 5 years.
Professor McMillan said, “There are still many steps to go through before we get to the clinic stage, but I think this really proves that gene editing is going to be proved to be useful.”
The research that was conducted by the researches was published in Molecular Therapy.