Scientists are finding more links between viruses and cancer every day. A form of skin cancer, Kaposi’s sarcoma can be deadly when it strikes people with weakened immune systems – such as those who are battling AIDS. The cancer is taking a terrible toll in Africa, where it was common even before the AIDS epidemic.
“About 15 per cent of all cancers are caused by viruses,” says Dr. Craig McCormick, a cancer researcher at Dalhousie Medical School who is studying how a certain herpes virus triggers Kaposi’s sarcoma.
“We have found proteins in the Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpes virus that allow the virus to hide from the immune system so it can infect more cells,” says Dr. McCormick. “These same proteins also promote the survival and proliferation of these infected cells… so it is likely these proteins are primary culprits in triggering Kaposi’s sarcoma.”
While studying the origins of Kaposi’s sarcoma, Dr. McCormick and his team have uncovered a new fundamental mechanism that regulates cancer cell survival and proliferation.
“We are now investigating whether this new information can be applied to other human cancers that do not have an underlying viral cause,” he says.
Identifying Key Genes
Dr. McCormick and his team will make extensive use of the RNA-interference (RNAi) library, to be purchased with proceeds of the 2009 Molly Appeal.
“The RNAi library will allow us to screen the entire human genome to identify key genes that facilitate the viral infection and other processes that lead to Kaposi’s sarcoma,” he says. “Once we identify candidate genes, we can devise ways to undermine their function in hopes of discovering new therapeutic interventions for this devastating disease.”
This year the Molly Appeal will raise funds to purchase Atlantic Canada’s first RNA-interference (RNAi) Library. This facility will give researchers 70,000 genetic tools they can use to determine the function of every gene in a cell.