EBV Stops the Immune System from Fighting Cancer

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he Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) microRNA (miRNA) initiative has revealed a pivotal role for miRNAs in cancer. (1)

Particular proteins made by the Epstein-Barr Virus are associated with other proteins (cytokines) that keep the immune system from attacking cancer cells.

— Greg Bennett, CBCD

ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, September 18, 2015 /EINPresswire.com/ —

Most people associate the Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) with infectious mononucleosis (Mono, also known as “the kissing disease”). However, science is showing that EBV is also linked to many different forms of cancer. This is significant since most people are infected with this virus. Now, new research has shown that “a particular cluster of EBV-miRNA (miR-BART2, miR-BART4, miR-BART5, miR-BART18, and miR-BART22) is associated with expression of cytokines known to inhibit host response to cancer.” (1) This means that particular proteins made by the Epstein-Barr Virus are associated with other proteins (cytokines) that keep the immune system from attacking cancer cells. Even more importantly, Dr. Pandya, the lead researcher in the study, showed that infected individuals who had cancer faced a worse outcome than uninfected individuals.

Click to learn more about EBV symptoms.

Dr. Martinez-Lopez wrote in another study that “Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) infection has been associated with several types of lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).” (3) In other words, EBV is linked to many forms of cancer.

EBV chronically infects about 95% of the adult population, with virus usually present in B cells in a latent stage. (3) However, not everyone infected will develop cancer. According to Dr. Polansky, and his book “Microcompetition with Foreign DNA and the Origin of Chronic Disease,” people develop cancer when the number of latent viruses passes a certain threshold. One of the reasons for an increase in the number of latent viruses is a weak immune system.

The CBCD offers a free download of Dr. Polansky’s book to those who are interested in reading it.

http://www.cbcd.net/Book.php
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Dr. Fujiwara wrote that people with a chronic EBV infection face a poor outcome. In addition to constant symptoms of Mononucleosis, they can also develop “life-threatening complications including hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (a condition that causes the immune system to attack the body’s own tissues), organ failure, and malignant lymphomas (cancer).” (4) Dr. Fujiwara is from the Department of Infectious Diseases, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development in Tokyo, Japan.

What standard treatments are available for EBV infections?

“A few antiviral drugs are available that were shown to inhibit EBV replication in cell culture. These drugs include the acyclic nucleoside analogues aciclovir, ganciclovir, penciclovir, and their respective prodrugs valaciclovir, valganciclovir and famciclovir, the acyclic nucleotide analogues cidofovir and adefovir, and the pyrophosphate analogue foscarnet. However, clinical studies have shown that these drugs are mostly ineffective in humans.” (2) There are also natural antiviral products that studies show to be safe and effective in reducing EBV symptoms. Two of these products are Gene-Eden-VIR and Novirin.

References:

(1) Pandya D1, Mariani M1, He S1, Andreoli M1, Spennato M1, Dowell-Martino C1, Fiedler P1, Ferlini C1. “Epstein-Barr Virus MicroRNA Expression Increases Aggressiveness of Solid Malignancies.” PLoS One. 2015 Sep 16;10(9):e0136058
(2) Polansky H, Itzkovitz E. Gene-Eden-VIR Is Antiviral: Results of a Post Marketing Clinical Study. Pharmacology & Pharmacy, 2013, 4, 1-8 http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/pp.2013.46A001
(3) Juan L.E. Martínez-López 1,2email, Javier Torres 3email, Margarita Camorlinga-Ponce 3email, Alejandra Mantilla 4email, Yelda A. Leal 5email and Ezequiel M. Fuentes-Pananá 1Evidence of Epstein-Barr Virus Association with Gastric Cancer and Non-Atrophic Gastritis Viruses2014, 6(1), 301-318
(4) Fujiwara S1, Kimura H, Imadome K, Arai A, Kodama E, Morio T, Shimizu N, Wakiguchi H. Current research on chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection in Japan. Pediatr Int. 2014 Apr;56 (2):159-66.

Greg Bennett
CBCD
585-250-9999
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