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February 10, 2009

Oncogenic virus genomes of three critical changes during the progression of the disease

A team of scientists discovered that the genome of oncogenic viruses goes through three critical changes during the progression of the disease and may open the way for development of new methods of prevention, diagnosis and treatment, the Lusa news.

According to a study led by Manel Esteller, Institute of Biomedical Research of Bellvitge (IDIBELL) in Barcelona, published in the latest issue of the journal 'Genome Research', changes the genetic material of viruses have the effect of fooling the body's defenses.

For Pedro Simas, Professor of Microbiology and Director of the Office of Viral Pathogenesis at the Institute of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, the discovery could be used to identify new markers that help clinicians to diagnose and intervene earlier.

"The great advantage of molecular markers is we have ways to signal the progression and prediction of developing certain diseases, stressed that specializes in herpes virus such as Epstein-Barr, and Lymphoproliferation.

In their view, 'there are no viruses that are directly oncogenic, they are mainly players aggressors'.

"What happens is that when the virus becomes persistent, some of its genotypes maintain a population of cell proliferation in which, over many years, it will accumulate carcinogenic mutations, explained.

"Just a cell of accumulating mutations that are carcinogenic to form a clone that is expanded and that the cancer ', he added.

Pedro Simas considers it important and the views in this study by researchers from there they can find new molecular markers that may give some information on the development of cancer.

Exaggerated fear of interpretations

However, he fears that the story leads to an exaggerated interpretation, "to give the idea that these viruses cause cancer, no more no less, and that they may have methods to prevent".

In his opinion, should not be transmitted to the public with the idea that this discovery will solve the problem of carcinogenesis associated with these viral infections, which is very few.

The viruses were the Epstein-Barr virus, the human papilloma and hepatitis B, respectively associated with the lymphoma, cancer of the cervix and cancer of the liver.

The aim of the study was to clarify why some individuals with the oncogenic virus removal, others progress to an infection and others eventually develop cancer, and also see that changes in the genome are involved in this process.

For research has become a complete map of DNA methylation, a specific chemical modification of genetic material from several types of viruses associated with tumors, as is the first complete analysis of what is a living being epigenoma complete, as a virus.

Manel Esteller, coordinator of work, ensures that the discovery of changes in the virus is also important to find the epigenoma humans, because the same technology that is used with the virus - the ultrasequenciação and bioinformatics - can be used for humans.