RandyW Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 Tobacco Hailed as Latest Plant-Based Vaccine July 23, 2008 10:44 AM by Sarah Amandolare In an unlikely twist, tobacco plants are being hailed as a cancer cure, further evidence of the superiority of plant-based vaccines. Email This Send Feedback ShareDel.icio.usDiggFacebookNewsvineStumbleUponAddthis30-Second Summary Researchers from Stanford University have put tobacco plants, notorious for their use in cigarettes, to better use. They’ve used the plants to cultivate essential elements of a cancer vaccine, reports the BBC. Plants can be used as “factories” to produce an antibody chemical that fights follicular B-cell lymphoma, a form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Lead researcher Richard Levy says plant-based vaccines are less expensive and can be made much more quickly than animal-based vaccines. Within the past three years, tobacco plants have been used in studies to prevent cervical cancer, neutralize rabies, and fight breast and lung tumors. Plant-based vaccines are nothing new to researchers, particularly plant biologist Charles Arntzen of Arizona State University who has been lauded for his research into edible vaccines using tomatoes, potatoes and bananas. “Their simple demand for solar light, water and minerals make plants an economic system for the production of proteins,” says Dr. Rosella Franconi of Italy, who has studied plant vaccines for HPV. Headline Links: Plant factories fight cancer The BBC reports that researchers from Stanford University have used tobacco plants to cultivate “key components of a cancer vaccine.” The researchers used the plants “as factories for an antibody chemical” related to a form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma called follicular B-cell lymphoma. The vaccine can be created quickly and tailored to each patient. Source: The BBC go to site » The Australian Broadcasting Corporation published an interview with Richard Levy, the study’s lead researcher from Stanford University. Levy explains the advantages of plant vaccines, and said his study marked the first time that plant vaccines were tried on humans. Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation go to site » Background: Tobacco takes a turn In 2005, scientists at Jefferson Medical College were using tobacco plants to “target and hunt down cancer cells,” reported Science Daily. Researchers were confident that the plants would be a less costly, quicker way to make cancer antibodies, and expressed hope that the technology would “one day be used in humans,” said the article. Source: Science Daily go to site » In May 2006, Checkbiotech.org reported on the use of tobacco plants to prevent cervical cancer. Two Italian doctors were able to genetically modify tobacco plants to produce a protein in the plants’ cytoplasm that when ingested, prevented cancerous tumors in mice. Source: Checkbiotech.org go to site » Related Topics: Edible vaccines In 2003, Charles Arntzen, a plant biology professor at Arizona State University, was considered to be at the forefront of the edible vaccine movement. Arntzen had used potatoes to produce vaccines for hepatitis B, E. coli and the Norwalk virus. Source: Forbes go to site » In 2002, Time magazine named Arntzen’s plant-derived vaccines made from tomatoes, potatoes and bananas among the year’s best inventions. Arntzen wanted a way to bring vaccinations to third world countries for less cost and with greater ease. Source: Time go to site » Opinion & Analysis: The advantages The Newsweek blog said several different cancer vaccines are in the works, “but they face a serious problem”—the fact that each patient will require a different vaccine to suit his unique cancer cells. Plant-based vaccines, such as the one developed at Stanford, are a faster, tailor-made alternative. Source: Newsweek go to site » Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorrie Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 Well what do you know about that! I found this link, which explains the process in 'fairly' understandable terms for us non-scientific peeps (me!). http://www.pnas.org/content/96/2/703.fu ... 216498a564 This link is from the PNAS "Proceedings of the National Acadamy of Sciences of the United States". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaminkw Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 Randy, Just amazing and we need all the help we can get in fighting this horrible disease. These preventative measures could be a boon for future generations. Judy in Key West Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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