The latest enemy for cancer - HIV

Source: Science Daily

Researchers have found out a way to make cancer cells to undergo apoptosis. They used a protein which tips the balance of the cancer cells in favour of apoptosis and this protein has been introduced into the cells using none other than the deadly HIV.

HIV has a protein called TAT which alone does not cause AIDS but which can also “drag” massive molecules along with it into the cell.

The researchers used the protein BIM which is tumour suppressive in nature and tagged it to TAT. Once inside, the TAT-BIM complex was able to activate the apoptosis mechanisms inside the cancer cells and bring about cell death.

The researchers tried the above experiment in mice and they found tremendous difference in the amount of cancer cells between the treated and the non-treated mice.

Now researchers are working on the procedure to concentrate the complex in cancer cells so that the normal cells can be spared. They are trying to link the anti cancer proteins with tracer molecules that can selectively bind to cancer cells.