Viruses are no longer simply the bad guy in the spectrum of human health. In fact, certain viruses can be used to selectively destroy cancer cells. Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine have discovered that the vesicular stomatitis virusThe smallest type of organism known. A single virus particle (called a virion) is much smaller than a cell. Viruses reproduce by invading cells and forcing the cells to make progeny virions. Viruses generally have specific host cells which they infect. Some virus types are associated with specific cancers and can convert normal cells into cancer cells. Examples of viruses associated with cancer are: papillomavirus-cervical cancer, hepatitis virus-liver cancer, Epstein-Barr virus-Burkitt's lymphoma. Virus-induced transformation of cells was one of the very first model systems for the study of cancer. Viruses have also been a key tool in the identification of many oncogenes. Because of their great ability to enter target cells viruses such as adenoviruses are being examined for their ability to deliver genes to cancer cells. (VSV) works to kill cancer cells by interfering with the AKT signaling pathway, a key component to cell survival. Furthermore, this virus does not appear to affect healthy human cells because normal cells are capable of triggering a response to fight off infection. Once a cell becomes cancerous, it can no longer trigger this response.
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