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Farmers dread viruses that target their crops. After all, who would want their hard work to go to waste?

But according to one study, specific potato virus particles may be essential to triggering an anti-tumor response. This is important because potato virus particles can be used to help treat cancer. Now who wouldn’t want that?

The study was conducted by scientists from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, with the help of another team of scientists from Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine and RWTH Aachen University in Germany.

The researchers report that they succeeded in altering the potato virus particles into working cancer drug delivery devices using mice models. The virus strain normally contaminates potatoes.

The research team noted that injecting the potato virus particles with chemotherapy drugs offers more advantages, compared to simply including the drugs within.

Findings showed that the potato virus particles into melanoma tumor sites in the subjects acted as the catalyst for an anti-tumor immune response. Additionally, injecting the nanoscale plant virus together with doxorubicin (a chemo drug) into tumor sites helped delay tumor progression in the animal subjects.

The researchers added that creating and injecting both nanoparticles, but with doxorubicin physically attached to the virus particles, didn’t have any considerable benefits.

The study’s results indicate that mice vaccinated with nanoparticles from the potato virus at a tumor site produced an anti-tumor response. Nonetheless, the researchers added that using more complex nanoparticles do not necessarily guarantee further therapeutic benefit.

Nicole F. Steinmetz, explained that it can be tempting to headline the development of “multifunctional nanoparticles” that can “do it all.” She cautioned that the results of their study prove that a “step-wise approach” is necessary to facilitate noteworthy curative effectiveness that can also “[prolong] survival.”

Steinmetz, who is also the study’s senior author, George J. Picha Professor in Biomaterials, member of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Director of the Center for Bio-Nanotechnology at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, emphasized that leaving the potato virus nanoparticles and the drugs to their own device produced the “greatest benefit.”

The authors of the study posited that as the nanomedicine field works on devising multifunctional nanoparticles that merge various “functions and therapeutic regimens into a single nanoparticle,” their data points to a paradigm shift wherein some therapeutics may have to be administered separately to synergize and generate the best therapeutic result.

The researchers said that they will continue to assess the mechanisms behind the potato virus particles’ unusual but beneficial anti-tumor effects. Continued research will try to determine if co-administering the nanoparticles with different chemo drugs can help slow the progression of other kinds of cancer.

Steinmetz concluded that “dual-pronged approaches” could be the best strategy when dealing with some types of cancer. The research team is hopeful that the potato virus-based nanoparticles they used in the study can be used to improve the effectiveness of current medications.

Herbs that can help fight cancer

While Steinmetz and her team are studying the potential benefits of the potato virus on human cancer progression, try to incorporate the following cancer-preventing herbs into your diet:

• Astragalus/Huang Qi – Astralagus is a Chinese herb that is an immune system booster. It can stimulate your body’s natural production of interferon.
• Bloodroot/Sanguinaria canadensis – Studies have found that bloodroot is effective against cancer tumors, even shrinking them.
• Butcher’s broom/Ruscus aculeatus – Ruscogenins, the active ingredients of butcher’s broom, has been found to have tumor-shrinking and anti-estrogenic abilities. It is used in the treatment of breast cancer.
• Cat’s claw/Uncaria tormentosa – This herb is an adaptogen and a powerful immuno-stimulant. It enhances the white cells’ clean-up process called phagocytosis.
• Chaparral/Larrea mexicana – This herb can boost the immune system, stop metastases, and reduce tumors.
• Curcumin (Turmeric) – Curcuma longa or turmeric root is a spice that has significant anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. Research also shows that it can also shrink cancer tumors and inhibit blood supply growth to tumors.

Stay healthy and boost your immune system by following a balanced diet and eating fresh fruits and veggies.

Sources include:

EurekAlert.org

CancerActive.com