Mollusk Blood Could Cure Cancer

Researchers have recently found that an unusually large protein in the limpet’s hemolymph can invoke a strong immune response in humans. Substances similar to KLH, the protien in question, have been made. However, they carry unpleasant side effects. KLH on the other hand is non-toxic. If one were to put markers for a certain cancer on this protein, the body may grow immune to that specific protein, and therefore grow immune to that cancer. There are other applications with this as well. One can put chemicals found in drugs on this protein and create a treatment for drug users. Right now, the protien is too big and complicated to synthesize. So the only way to get is from the animal itself. This unfortunately kills the animal in the extraction process. Hopefully, there will be a new extraction process or a new way to synthesize proteins of this caliber in the future.

New Drug Cures the Flu in Mice

This chart shows how that the drug doesn't affect healthy normal cells. It also shows the effectiveness of DRACO

MIT researchers may have found the cure for the common cold, influenza, and most other viruses. The drug is called DRACO, which stands for Double-stranded RNA Activated Caspase Oligomerizer. This is how it works:

Basically, viruses infect cells by attaching to the cell membrane and getting their double stranded RNA (dsRNA) into the cell. Then the machinery that makes protiens from the cell’s own RNA, called ribosomes, use that dsRNA to make the proteins that make up the virus. Then the viral RNA copies itself many times. The viral proteins encapsulate the new viral RNA then the new viruses burst out of the cell, killing it.

Human cells have natural defenses against viruses. They attach special proteins to the viral RNA to prevent it from making the viral proteins. However, this doesn’t always work. So the researchers have taken it to the next level. The combined the special proteins with another protein that causes apoptosis, or programmed cell death. So the new combination, DRACO, attaches to the viral RNA then activates the apoptosis protein. This effectively kills the cell that has been infected before the virus can take hold. The infected cell would die anyways, so this kills it before it can produce more viruses.

They have tested it in mice. The mice that were infected were cured by the drug. The researchers have said that they plan on making more tests and, eventually, human trials.