Research work carried out in the laboratory of ‘ The Molecular Medicine Unit of Oncology at The Regional Centre for Biomedical Research from the University of Castilla-La Mancha, breaks new ground in relation to the use of viral genes as tumor suppressors. Such is the case of adenovirus E1a gene, it has been able to block the appearance of tumours in animals exposed to carcinogens in their blood. The study, led by Ricardo Sánchez Prieto, researcher of ‘Increcyt Programme’, has recently been published in the renowned magazine ‘Cancer Letters’ (number 23 of the 213 on oncology according to the ‘Journal Citation Report.’
Ricardo Sánchez explains that this research has focused on studying the effect of adenovirus E1a gene in different types of tumours. A system of transgenesis was designed for the research that allows the researches to control the expression of this gene. Sánchez states, “The results highlight that E1a was capable of blocking the appearance of tumours in animals exposed to carcinogens in their skin. Furthermore, cell lines derivative of human colon and melanoma tumours, which were introduced by means of genetic engineering techniques, were incapable of producing tumours in immunosuppressed animals.”
This research, which is the central part of the research of pre-doctoral scholarship holder of the ‘Fundación Leticia Castillejo Castillo’, Francisco Jose Cima Felipe, “entails a key test for the use of this promising therapy based on adenovirus”, claimed by the researcher himself. All members of the Oncology laboratory have participated in this investigation, as well as the team of Dr. Santiago Ramón and Cajal (Hospital Vall d’Hebron of Barcelona), Dr. Silvio Gutkind (Moore Cancer Center, University of San Diego, California) and Dr. Dolores García Olmo (University Hospital of Alabecete.)
Ricardo Sánchez explains that E1a gene is one of the key genes in the vital cycle of the adenoviruses, “which are the vectors par excellence for one of the most innovative therapies in cancer at present time, such as the oncolytic viruses.”
For the past twelve years, the Oncology Laboratory from the ‘Unidad de Medicina Molecular del CRIB’ situates Castilla-La Mancha at the forefront of the oncological investigation, as reflected in more than 35 publications in renowned international, specialised magazines. The UCLM has fulfilled eight doctorate thesis’ and five more on-going projects, on top of four consecutive, autonomous and private national projects amounting to more than 1,500,000 euros.
The publication can be found online at the following address: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28416454
Office of Communications UCLM. Albacete, 24 april 2017