New research may lead to viral treatment of cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed

[AussieNeil]

Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California, have discovered that cells either respond to repair their own damaged DNA and prevent the cell from replicating while damaged, or deal with the DNA of an invading virus. The cell can't do both at the same time and if faced with both challenges, will attempt to first repair the cell's DNA. This may help explain why ageing, cancer chemotherapy, and inflammation make us more susceptible to viral infection. "The researchers aim to use this new knowledge to create viruses that are destroyed in normal cells but replicate specifically in cancer cells."

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Study abstract in Cell

cell.com/cell/abstract/S009...

Neil

[Psmithuk]

This is something even I can understand, and it sounds so promising.

My 13 yr old grandson tried to describe it to me earlier, now I know what he was talking about!

Thanks for the info.

(Love the ducklings!)