Two Gene Therapys Brings Hope to Mesothelioma

University of Hawaii Researchers’ Glowing Bunnies May Someday Bring Genetic Therapy to Mesothelioma Patients

Fluorescent protein taken from a jellyfish DNA and injected into a rabbit’s embryos has produced a litter with several glow-in-the-dark bunnies. Although to many, this may seem like science fiction, to researchers, scientists and physicians this means more effective medicines and cures for diseases like hemophilia, Alzheimer’s, and cancers such as mesothelioma, may be on the horizon.

According to a press release, a team of researchers from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the University of Istanbul in Turkey used transgenesis to take a genetic marker from one animal and introduce it into another that did not originally have the gene – in this case, from the jellyfish to the rabbit. Although two of the newborn bunnies were left with an eerie glow when seen under black lights, they are otherwise perfectly healthy and are expected to lead full rabbit lives.

Now, the researchers are awaiting the birth of glowing lambs anticipated to be born in November. The same experiment was conducted in the larger mammal to forward the process towards work with humans.

Unfortunately, this type of work is controversial in the United States, and the experiments are being conducted in Turkey. In an interview with KHON2 of Hawaii, Dr. Stefan Moisyadi, lead researcher from UH, said, “At home, there is this hysteria that transgenic animals should not be used for anything.” But he adds, “The benefits in doing it [the experiments] in large animals is to create bio-reactors that basically produce pharmaceuticals that can be made a lot cheaper.”

Gene therapy has been touted as the “new frontier” in medicine and is offering hope to patients and doctors alike that once untreatable diseases, including mesothelioma, may now be cured. The cost, however, is often extremely high. Dr. Moisyadi told Independent.co.uk, “we can make those enzymes a lot cheaper in animals with barrier reactives rather than a factory that will cost billions of dollars to build.”

Tracking Asbestos and Other Environmental Pollutants

Mesothelioma is just one of the diseases that is caused by exposure to environmental pollutants. The National Cancer Institute explains that when asbestos fibers are breathed in, they may get trapped in the lungs and remain there for a long time. Over time, these fibers can accumulate and cause scarring and inflammation, which can affect breathing and lead to serious health problems. Mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis are all associated with asbestos exposure.

The research with glowing animals can also be used to help track pollutants as they travel through the body. Researchers from the University of Tennessee have developed transgenic bioluminescent zebrafish that were engineered exclusively to emit a glow when elevated levels of ammonia or nitrate are present in the aquarium and enter the fishes’ bodies. These “environmental reporters” can lead the way to produce other processes that can detect a large number of chemicals or toxins, potentially screening processes.

While all of this research still requires many more years of studies and work in the labs, genetic research appears to be pointing to many promising breakthroughs in the medical field.

About the Researchers

UH Emeritus Professor Ryuzo Yanagimachi who is the founder of the UH Manoa Institute for Biogenesis Research helped set up the initial experiment with the Turkish researchers. Yanagimachi, according to UH, is “recognized around the world as the scientist whose early work with animals laid the foundation for the development of in vitro fertilization in humans.” He also invented the now common technique used in fertility clinics for inserting sperm into an egg. Dr. Stefan Moisyadi, associate professor, then took over the experiment and is the lead researcher on the project.

Know more about Mesothelioma here.

Sources:

University of Hawaii at Manoa
http://www.uhm.hawaii.edu/news/article.php?aId=5906
Independent.co.uk
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/team-of-scientists-create-cloned-glow-in-the-dark-rabbits-8756928.html
KHON2 of Hawaii
https://www.khon2.com/news/local-news/researchers-study-nature-of-sharks-in-hawaii-waters_2018030911381013/1025616452

Mesothelioma Patients Encouraged to Take the Time to Celebrate Life

For every person, not just those impacted by mesothelioma, each day is a cause for celebration. It is a chance to do things that you enjoy and be with people that you love. I once heard someone say that each day is another chance to “get it right.” What a profound statement! God gives us such a beautiful world full of things that we take for granted on a daily basis. It’s time that we really celebrate life!

Throughout Dad’s journey with mesothelioma, every milestone has been celebrated in some way. When he arrived home from his surgery at NYU Langone he came to our house first. We were greeted with a full refrigerator, dinners, gifts and visitors. At his home, there were balloons, cards and visitors.

When his chemotherapy was finished, there were cards. At the end of his radiation treatment, there was a party (that was sort of foiled when Mom and Dad arrived home a day earlier than planned) with cake and family. Every day, no matter the situation, you can find something to celebrate!

They say that getting life changing news, such as a mesothelioma diagnosis, can make or break you. Don’t let it bring you down! Every trying situation is an opportunity to better yourself and to find a valuable lesson in it. ’m not saying that every single day of your life will be rainbows and sunshine, but there can be good found in every obstacle. Trust God, rely on your faith, and He will bring you through!

NC State Research Could Lead to New Method of Treatment for Mesothelioma

The science around microRNAs is in the news again after North Carolina State University researchers report they have discovered a way to identify cancerous cells that could lead to “new methods of disease detection and treatment.” This comes on the heels of a fast-tracked Australian mesothelioma clinical trial that manipulates microRNAs to treat the cancer.

microRNAs, or miRNAs, are tiny molecules found within cells that serve a function in primary biological processes such as organ development, fat metabolism, cell proliferation and death. When miRNAs function properly, a person remains healthy. However, “disregulation” of miRNAs can lead to diseases, including mesothelioma and other cancers.

Directing Cancer Treatment Through microRNAs

Although other researchers have conducted basic DNA mathematical computations in test tubes, NC State researchers set out to attempt DNA-based logic computations to detect the presence of specific microRNAs in living human cells. According to a press release from NC State University, by performing these Boolean computations, when two miRNAs are present in a cell, the scientists could direct the output to release a “fluorescent molecule.”

In practice, however, instead of creating a glowing cell, “we could attach therapeutic agents that are released to treat the disease itself,” said NC State chemist Alex Deiters and co-author of the study.

When two conditions are met, as shown by the result of an “AND” Boolean computation when two specific miRNAs are present indicating cancer, the result could be “to release a drug that could kill a cancer cell,” said James Hemphill, Deiters’ graduate student and co-author of the study, according to the News & Observer.

How Can This Benefit Mesothelioma Patients?

Mesothelioma, the signature cancer of asbestos exposure, is difficult to treat due to its aggressive nature which often fights off even the strongest of medicines. Although chemotherapy is the primary treatment modality for the cancer, it has shown to be chemo-resistant at times, eventually rendering the treatments ineffective. One way oncologists can combat resistance to treatments is to target them specifically to the person’s unique genetic characteristics and the unique characteristics of the mesothelioma.

Ricki Lewis, PhD, geneticist and author of The Forever Fix, said in an email interview, “Cancer isn’t just one disease, it is many, and even within the same patient, a cancer’s characteristics change over time.”

http://blogs.plos.org/dnascience

One reason cancer is dynamic is because of microRNAs. “microRNAs orchestrate the turning off of certain genes as a cancer grows, invades, and spreads,” said Ms. Lewis. In fact, due to their intricate role in gene regulation, many leading scientists refer to miRNAs as the “master maestros of the genome.”

When asked about the importance of NC State’s study for mesothelioma, Ms. Lewis said, “Detecting patterns of microRNA deployment and tagging them to delivery of a treatment would be a rational and personalized way to treat mesothelioma.”

Targeting therapy for mesothelioma patients optimizes the potential for success of the treatment and offers mesothelioma treatment options that may not otherwise have been considered. Close to 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year. There is no cure for the disease.

The NC State study can be found in the June 24 issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

http://pubs.acs.org/action/cookieAbsent

Researchers Find Way to Disrupt Cancer Stem Cell Growth

NYU Langone Researchers Identify Biomarker to Target for New Mesothelioma Treatment

Internationally renowned mesothelioma expert Dr. Harvey Pass has dedicated his career to the treatment, research and advocacy of mesothelioma. He knows that the key to finding a new, effective treatment for mesothelioma requires extensive research focusing on specific genetic characteristics of the disease.

In the September issue of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, Dr. Pass and a team of researchers from NYU Langone Medical Center reported that they did just that and identified a protein that was overexpressed in each of the malignant mesothelioma tumors tested.

The Ephrin type-B receptor 2 (EPHB2) protein, or genetic marker, according to the researchers, was significantly elevated in malignant pleural mesothelioma tumor tissue compared with matched normal peritoneum. The protein was not elevated in benign mesothelial cells. EPHB2 controls a variety of cellular processes including the process through which new blood vessels form from pre-existing vessels.

However, when additional blood vessels develop in cancer cells, more food and oxygen are supplied to the cancer cells causing them to grow. Mesothelioma, a fast-growing cancer caused by past asbestos exposure, has limited treatment options, and finding a way to stop metastasis, tumor growth, is critical to improving survival and quality of life in mesothelioma patients.

The study showed that “knockdown” of EPHB2 in mesothelioma cancer cells induced apoptosis, or cell death. This led the researchers to conclude that “targeting EPHB2 might provide a novel therapy to improve the prognosis in people suffering from malignant mesothelioma.”

Dr. Pass, Chief of Thoracic Oncology, NYU Cancer Center and Chief, Division of Thoracic Surgery, NYU Langone Medical Center, is a past winner of the Pioneer Award from the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation for his dedication to mesothelioma research.

“We need to believe in a cure. I do think it will happen,” said Dr. Pass upon receiving the Pioneer Award.

This project was partially funded through a grant from Belluck and Fox, LLP. Belluck & Fox, LLP, a nationally recognized New York law firm dedicated to advocacy for mesothelioma patients and their families, is a long-time supporter of Pass and his work. The NYU Langone Medical Center’s Cancer Institute previously purchased a highly advanced molecular analysis system for cancer research with funds donated by Belluck & FoxBelluck & Fox, LLP.

“We know Dr. Pass and his team are fighting for a cure for mesothelioma, and we hope our support will lead to better treatments and, one day, a cure for mesothelioma,” said Joseph Belluck, founding partner of Belluck & Fox, LLP.

Don Smitley Finds Comfort Spending Time with His Dog, Charley

I have mentioned my parents’ dog, Charley, in several posts. It’s time he got some attention! Charley is a five-year-old poodle-terrier mix who has become a light in Mom’s and Dad’s lives. He is sort of goofy (truth be told!) and always makes them laugh and smile.

The relationship between Dad and Charley is an interesting one. Throughout Dad’s mesothelioma, Charley has been his constant companion, never letting Dad out of his sight. He follows both Mom and Dad around the house. But once Mom leaves for work, they become a dynamic duo spending a lot of time playing, walking, watching TV, and napping in the recliner that they share.

Dogs tend to be a lot of company, and Charley is no exception. When you talk to him, he seems to understand every word that you say. So… we all find ourselves carrying on conversations with him from time to time.

He also seems to sense when you’re not feeling your best. Charley is usually pretty hyper, jumping on your lap and demanding attention. It was interesting that when Dad returned from his pleurectomy last February, Charley was extremely gentle and spent a lot of time just resting with him.

My husband and I also have a dog, Gus. He’s been a great source of comfort for us as well, always bringing happiness to our lives. Put Gus and Charley together, and you have a comedy show!

These animals are just one more aspect of our lives that we have to be thankful for. God works in mysterious ways; maybe he brought us our dogs to make us smile and realize that maybe laughter is the best medicine after all!

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