Hope After a Cancer Diagnosis
Anti-viral Drug Ribavirin Shows Promise in Cancer Treatment
May 15, 2009
Getting a cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming but there is hope in the form the anti-viral drug, ribavirin. This according to a recent clinical trial and study conducted on a group of cancer patients(Assouline et al. “Molecular targeting of the oncogene eIF4E in AML: a proof-of-principle clinical trial with ribavirin.” Blood, May 9, 2009 abstract).
Cancer Is Caused by Unregulated Genes
Cancerous cells multiply without any cell regulation creating tumors and growths. This is commonly caused by a genetic mutation within a cancerous cell’s DNA. Scientists have been able to pinpoint the source to some specific genes within the cell’s genetic code. One commonly found gene mutation in cancer patient’s cancerous cells is within the gene regulation of eIF4E protein. This gene is found to be impaired in about a third of the different cancers; namely breast, colon, stomach and prostate.
The Role of the eIF4E Gene
The process in which some proteins are formed within the cell requires the use of a group of proteins called eukaryotic initiation factors (eIF). The elF4E protein is coded by the elF4E gene. This gene is important in normal cell replication as it limits the rate at which the information from the DNA is read and translated to form the appropriate proteins. Some of the proteins these initiation factors code for are involved in the growth and multiplication of the cells. If the elF4E gene is malfunctioning then the factors are over produced and cells over proliferate. A molecule that can interfere with this mechanism (the translation of the elF4E gene) can theoretically stem the rapid growth of cancerous cells.
Ribavirin is Used in RSV Treatment and also in Hepatitis C Treatment
Ribavirin is an anti-viral drug that has been used to treat RSV and other viral infections. It works by affecting the viral replications. Ribavirin is a prodrug which once consumed is metabolized into its active form which by unknown mechanism. The metabolite affects the viral RNA and DNA, essentially stopping the infection. The drug in its metabolized form resembles the molecules located on the cap of the mRNA; in this case it resembles elF4E protein. CAP proteins are essential in the activation of DNA translation.
In the cited article, the clinical trial involved 11 patients diagnosed with myeloid leukemia. The test participants had already undergone previous treatments with no success. The cited treatment resulted in one test subject's disease going into remission and others patients (except two) showing marked improvement. The promising results showed less elF4E bound to the mRNA in the patients who showed a positive response to the drug. The study shows that any drug targeted at the elF4E gene can have a positive for benefit cancer patients.
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