Scientists are making progress toward the Epstein-Barr vaccine At the same time, alarming evidence of microplastics in prostate tumors was uncovered.
These two developments represent significant advances in the prevention of viral diseases and raise urgent questions about the impact of the environment on cancer risk.
Breakthrough in Epstein-Barr virus prevention
Use of innovative research methods. Globally, nearly 95% of people carry EBV, a virus that has been linked to infectious mononucleosis, multiple sclerosis and several types of cancer. Although most infections remain dormant, certain populations experience serious complications when the virus reactivates.
Researchers at Fred Hutch Cancer Center engineered mice with human antibody genes and developed ten monoclonal antibodies that target two key viral surface proteins. An antibody directed against gp42 successfully prevented infection in mice with human immune systems. An antibody against gp350 provided partial protection. The results appear in Cell Reports Medicine.
Study co-author Andrew McGuire called the results a significant scientific milestone after years of searching for effective prevention.
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Hope for transplant patients
Scientists are making progress toward the Epstein-Barr vaccine with particular hope for immunocompromised individuals. EBV-associated lymphomas often cause life-threatening complications in transplant recipients. Prevention of EBV activation remains an urgent unmet need in transplant medicine.
Co-author Rachel Bender Ignacio noted that monoclonal antibody infusions could ultimately block EBV infection or reactivation in high-risk patients. A safe and effective vaccine could dramatically reduce complications associated with the virus.
Microplastics found in prostate tumors
While another team makes a disturbing discovery. Researchers identified plastic particles in prostate tissue and discovered microplastic fragments in nine out of ten prostate cancer patients. Tumor samples contained significantly higher amounts of plastic than neighboring healthy tissue.
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Tumors contained an average of about 40 micrograms of plastic per gram of tissue, compared to 16 micrograms per gram in benign prostate tissue. Researchers will present these findings at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Genitourinary Cancers Symposium.
Environmental exposure and cancer risk
Scientists are making progress toward the Epstein-Barr vaccine as microplastics research raises new concerns. Previous studies have suggested possible links between microplastics and diseases such as heart disease and dementia. However, to date there has been limited direct evidence linking them to prostate cancer.
Study leader Stacy Loeb of NYU Grossman School of Medicine said the pilot results provide important early evidence that exposure to microplastics may be a risk factor for prostate cancer.
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What these results mean
offers hope for preventing devastating viral complications. At the same time, the detection of microplastics in tumors highlights the importance of understanding the impact of the environment on human health.
These developments highlight both encouraging progress in preventing viral diseases and growing concern about environmental factors that may influence cancer risk. Further research will clarify how these findings translate to clinical applications and public health recommendations.
Sources:
This article is based on research published in Cell Reports Medicine, results presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, and reports from Reuters.
Read the original research: Cell Reports Medicine – EBV antibody study
Find out more about microplastics: NYU Langone Health
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