Utilizing Genes as a Means of Increasing the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Drugs

It has recently been discovered by various researchers at the University of Granada that a particular suicide gene, nicknamed 'gene E', has the ability and potential of destroying tumor cells that usually lead to colon, breast and lung cancer. These findings have shown that gene E could now be used as a means of fighting cancer causing cells thereby forming an effective treatment for cancer.

The research which was conducted by Ana Rosa Rama Ballesteros and her team from the Department of Anatomy and Human Embryology, found that it is possible to effectively reduce the dependency of the human body on drugs while at the same time, increasing its dependency on the suicide gene E.

The study proved that the bacteriophage phiX174 killer gene, also referred to as gene E, has the potential of inducing death in tumor cells. Currently, there has only been limited success and many limitations have been observed with the attempted usage of chemotherapeutic agents that had a similar functionality to gene E. Such limitations mainly resulted from the poor affinity and toxicity of the gene with the tumor.

“At present, we have noted only a limited success in the use of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, especially in the advanced stages of cancer. Our studies have also shown that gene therapy has now emerged as a potentially powerful form for combating cancer,” says Ana Rosa Rama. The recently conducted studies by Ana Rosa Rama and her team has shown that it is potentially possible to induce gene E along with other forms of cancer cure such as chemotherapy, thereby improving results while at the same time reducing the intake of any drugs in the patient. This in turn can effectively reduce the number of potential side effects.

To completely understand the functioning of gene E, the study made use of a variety of techniques that indicated the mechanism of action of gene E was actually to induce and bring about the death of the cells that caused cancer. Hence, it is no wonder that this suicide gene is the best option to target cancerous cells and induce apoptosis, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the drugs that are mainly designed to target such types of cells.

The findings of the research also showed that through the use of gene E, it might even be possible to reduce the amount of chemotherapeutic agents currently used to treat cancer. In respect of lung cancer, the scientists managed to reduce the overall dose of Paclitaxel by around 100 times and similarly attained a 14% inhibition of tumor growth due to the combination with gene E.