According to findings published in the journal Nature, researchers out of Stanford University may have found a way to pump up the cancer-fighting ability of a naturally-occurring protein in the body while also limiting its ability to cause side effects.
The protein in question is interleukin-2, an immune system regulator that functions as a growth factor for immune cells. Interleukin-2's capacity for gathering tumor-fighting T-cells is so well known that it has become an effective anti-cancer treatment to inject patients with interleukin-2. In some cases, even aggressive cancers such as melanoma and kidney cancer can be cured with interleukin-2.
Unfortunately, the side effects are rough, notably severe pulmonary toxicity, which has limited the protein's ability to help cancer patients.
However, Stanford researchers say they have developed a mutant version of the protein they're calling 'Super-2' that, thanks to a modified form, generates high anti-tumor activity while causing much less toxic side effects.
Preclinical trials will likely continue but human trials may not be far off.
Source: Science Codex
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