Can HIV be used to cure leukemia?

  • Context: Medical 
  • Thread starter Thread starter fourier jr
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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the potential use of HIV-derived lentivirus vectors in the treatment of leukemia, particularly through the modification of T cells to target tumor cells. It explores the implications of this approach, the media portrayal of the treatment, and the excitement surrounding advancements in medical science.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants describe a treatment protocol involving the modification of patients' T cells using an HIV-derived lentivirus vector to target CD19-expressing tumor cells.
  • Others express skepticism about the media hype surrounding HIV-based therapies, suggesting that the lentivirus is merely a gene delivery vehicle and that other methods could be equally effective.
  • Some participants highlight the significance of using HIV, a well-known virus, in this context, noting its targeting of T cells as a logical choice for the treatment.
  • There are expressions of excitement about the advancements in medicine and the innovative use of a virus associated with a serious disease to combat another disease.
  • A participant mentions the irony of using an HIV-resistant donor's bone marrow transplant as a means of curing HIV, linking it to the discussion on leukemia treatment.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of excitement and skepticism regarding the use of HIV in cancer therapies. While there is enthusiasm about the potential of the treatment, there is also contention regarding the portrayal and implications of using HIV in this context. No consensus is reached on the validity of the media hype or the necessity of using HIV-derived vectors specifically.

Contextual Notes

Some claims depend on the definitions of gene delivery methods and the specific roles of lentiviruses versus other potential vectors. The discussion also reflects varying levels of understanding about the implications of using HIV in medical treatments.

fourier jr
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This is pretty incredible:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbNSG80B12Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iw-12Qf3bM4

If anyone knows the details why not give them here
 
Biology news on Phys.org
The protocol for the new treatment involves removing patients' cells through an apheresis process similar to blood donation, and modifying them in Penn's cell and vaccine production facility. Scientists there reprogram the patients' T cells to target tumor cells through a gene modification technique using a HIV-derived lentivirus vector. The vector encodes an antibody-like protein, called a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR), which is expressed on the surface of the T cells and designed to bind to a protein called CD19.

The modified cells are then infused back into the patient's body following lymphodepleting chemotherapy. Once the T cells start expressing the CAR, they focus all of their killing activity on cells that express CD19, which includes CLL and ALL tumor cells, and normal B cells. All of the other cells in the patient that do not express CD19 are ignored by the modified T cells, which limits systemic side effects typically experienced during traditional therapies.
continued...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121210080837.htm
 
Oh my god, that's amazing!
 
The next age in medicine will be very exciting. I bet just 10 years ago listening to this story would seem like science fiction!
 
the media hype over “HIV” based cancer therapies is misleading – the lentivirus used was really only a gene delivery vehicle (in theory, other non-viral based methods could have been used just as easily)
 
gravenewworld said:
the media hype over “HIV” based cancer therapies is misleading – the lentivirus used was really only a gene delivery vehicle (in theory, other non-viral based methods could have been used just as easily)
Exactly, with the exception that HIV targets T-cells and is thus the logical choice of virus for the cell type.
 
Monique said:
Exactly, with the exception that HIV targets T-cells and is thus the logical choice of virus for the cell type.

It's exciting because it's the HIV virus and not some other virus no one knows about really. We've taken a widespread and terrible disease and used it against another disease. That's exciting! Similarly discovering an exoplanet in the Alpha Centauri system shouldn't have been that exciting. After all, we've discovered hundreds already and this one isn't much different. But the fact that it's the closest star system to our own MAKES IT EXCITING!
 
It's great how excited you are :biggrin:
And I agree it is, good science is always exciting. This sure is a good way to get funding for a project, "I'm going to use HIV to cure cancer".
 
  • #10
t_cells.png

https://xkcd.com/938/
 
  • #11
haha :smile:
 
  • #12
Hahaha!
 
  • #13
It is ironic, since a bone marrow transplant(to treat leukemia) from an HIV-resistant donor is the only means by which an HIV infection has been cured.
 

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