Scientists one step closer to cancer vaccine

[Emillereid]

March 22, 2006

Scientists at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have helped to identify a molecule that can be used as a vaccination agent against growing cancer tumours. Although the results are so far based on animal experiments, they point to new methods of treating metastases.

The results are presented in the online edition of the prestigious scientific journal Nature Medicine, and represent the collaborative efforts of researchers at KI and Leiden University Medical Centre in Holland.

The study analysed an immunological cell, a T cell, which recognises other cells with defects common to metastasing ones. These defects (which are found in MHC class 1 molecules) allow the tumour cell to evade the “conventional” T cell-mediated immune defence.

The researchers have identified a short peptide molecule that the T cell in the study recognises. Using this peptide, the researchers can vaccinate and protect against the spread of tumours from different tissues, including melanoma, colon cancer, lymphoma, and fibrosarcoma.

....http://www.brightsurf.com/news/headlines/view.article.php?ArticleID=23533....

[sutz12]

1. And maybe if we can boot the fundies out of power....

we can look forward to using said vaccine. But of course, not against cervical cancer. Can't 'encourage sex' now can we? :sarcasm: