University of Tehran researchers have achieved a new method of treating liver cancer

According to the Public Relations report of the University of Tehran, Dr. Zahra Haji Hassan, a faculty member of the e Faculty of Modern Sciences and Technologies of the University of Tehran and the executive manager of the research project "Recombinant fusion production of Bovicin HC5 and CPP for the treatment of liver cancer" said about this research achievement: In this treatment method from An AMP with anticancer properties (Bovicin HC5) produced by Streptococcus bovis bacteria has been used. Also, in this design, by combining a CPP (cell penetrating peptide) with bovicin HC5 protein, its permeability to liver cells has increased. This will cause the drug to enter the liver cancer cells in a targeted manner. In this plan, this designed fusion was produced recombinantly in E. coli bacteria and its effectiveness was proven on the liver cancer cell line.

Dr. Haji Hassan said about the advantage of this type of treatment compared to common chemotherapy methods: In this treatment method, which is carried out using biotech technology, due to the high specificity and small size of CPP, in addition to the targeted penetration of the drug only into cancer cells, the liver, the dose of the drug used will also be greatly reduced, which subsequently reduces the potential side effects of the drug and its toxicity compared to other chemotherapy drugs.

He added: The use of AMPs is one of the new treatment methods, and in this plan, for the first time, a fusion of an AMP and CPP has been made, which has the ability to treat liver cancer.

Dr. Haji Hassan said about the history of liver cancer treatment with this method: This is the first time that this method is used in Iran to treat liver cancer, although similar work has been done in the world, but the fusion designed in this plan is world-class and  it is completely new.

Achieving this method is the result of the research of Mrs. Manijeh Dastjani Farahani's thesis entitled "Production of fusion protein CPP and bovicin for the treatment of liver cancer" which was carried out under the guidance of Dr. Zahra Haji Hassan.