• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Scientists reckon they’ve developed a new way to treat cancer – using ALPACAS

The groundbreaking discovery comes after researchers found antibodies originating from the woolly mammal which could stop cancerous cells from multiplying.

Guest Contributor by Guest Contributor
2018-10-03 15:30
in News, Science
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

Scientists reckon they may have found a potential new treatment for cancer – using ALPACAS.

The groundbreaking discovery comes after researchers found antibodies originating from the woolly mammal which could stop cancerous cells from multiplying.

Researchers looked at the immune system of camelids, a mammal which belongs to the same family as camels, llamas and alpacas.

The team was the first to identify a family of nanobodies – antibodies that are exclusive to camelids – which derive from the alpaca.

These nanobodies can block proteins known as Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) which are found in tumour cells and cause them to reproduce rapidly.

The proteins are often found in large quantities and a preventative method to prevent their cancerous activity has not yet been found.

RelatedPosts

Son of Tory donor who hosted Boris Johnson’s wedding party handed lucrative government contract

Omicron booster jab approved for use in the UK

Right-wing dating app to be launched next month in US

Russia seeks closer ties with North Korea

But researchers at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Barcelona (IRB), and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium (VUB), revealed a number of therapeutic tools with the capacity to block them.

Co-study author, Prof Monica Varese, from IRB Barcelona, said: “In spite of advances in treatments against the epidermal growth receptors in patients, their efficacy decreases over time because patients develop resistance.

“By taking advantage of an emerging biotech tool – nanobodies – we have been able to synthesise the first inhibitors with high affinity for EGF.”

Scientists from the Spanish university produced the EGF protein and their Belgian colleagues administered it to alpacas.

The animals’ immune system responded by producing a series of nanobodies which the researchers identified as possible preventatives of cancerous growth.

Prof Ernest Giralt, head of the peptide and proteins lab at IRB Barcelona, said: “By injecting EGF into the alpaca, we have challenged nature to find a molecule capable of binding tightly and with high selectivity to EGF.

“It has come up with two very different but equally effective solutions for such a small and difficult antigen as EGF.

The drugs could be useful for patients who develop resistance to EGFR preventatives currently available on the market.

Scientists must next evaluate the pharmacological effect of the new nanobodies in cell and animal models of cancer.

The study is published in the Angewandte Chemie journal.

 

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

Hotel review: Sea Breeze Beach House, Barbados

TIFF 2018 – First Look Review: Angel

‘Statue protector’ caught urinating on Westminster terror attack hero’s memorial

Newcastle United owner’s retail chief quits Sports Direct

Council bans Princes Charles’ Beaufort Hunt from using its land

Labour urges Lord Geidt to reopen probe into ‘funds for favours’ scandal

Single Ranking Vertical Style

Alleged fraudster denies trying to swindle £10,000 by falsely claiming he lost his wife and son in the Grenfell Tower fire

Prince Andrew: ‘No-one above the law’ says Met chief as Charles reportedly makes crucial decision

‘Ignorant’ Johnson sparks outrage with visit to Tory donor’s JCB factory

JOBS

FIND MORE JOBS

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.