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Did you know that there are more than 150 different human papillomavirus (HPV)? And according to estimates, more than 80% of sexually active people will be infected with one of them.
HPV is transmitted orally, vaginally or anally during sexual intercourse with an infected person, often not. generates health problems; however, viruses 16 and 18 cause about 70% of cervical cancer cases, while types 6 and 11 cause 90% of genital warts.
Therefore, specialists at the Center for Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav), are working on the possibility of developing new vaginal gels, spermicides or condoms, which, when they are used, avoid the Infection with HPV.
A study conducted at the Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology of this institution showed that aptamers are an effective tool for inhibiting infection with HPV-16 in cellular models. This type of virus is associated with more than 50% of cases of cervical cancer.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), worldwide, this type of cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women.
It is estimated that 530 000 new cases occur each year, accounting for 7.5% of female cancer mortality
Luis Marat Álvarez Salas, responsible for the study, explained that aptamers are isolated in the laboratory of a very diverse group of RNA sequences or DNA known as the "library". The research group was able to isolate an aptamer of RNA that binds strongly to HPV16, so they decided to test its ability to inhibit infection
.For this, they simulated the 39 infection via a pattern called "pseudovirus", the researcher pointed out that these structures are very similar to the natural virus and have the ability to mimic the entire process of HPV infection, the The only difference is that once the "pseudovirus" enters the cell, a fluorescent protein is produced that allows visualization
In the laboratory, Cinvestav specialists bring pseudoviruses into contact with the aptamer for queries. They interact. Once they do, they place viruses on the cells. "The result is that when we treated the viruses with the aptamers, the cells are no longer fluorescent, which indicates that the virus could not enter the cell," said Diana Gabriela Valencia Reséndiz, a member of the research team
. the results obtained during the research process, hopefully bring the study to a living tissue, such as animal models, but first they will have to increase the resistance that aptamers have to biofluids, since l & # 39; RNA and DNA have the weakness of they degrade very easily, so when they put them in biofluids they deteriorate.
Researchers are now working to overcome this disadvantage by chemical modifications to nucleotides, so that the proteins that perform this degradation have no effect.
"What we are looking for is to generate tools that support the fight against HPV, we know that we have vaccines against infection, but its distribution is limited either by cost, because the health system only serves 11-year-old girls and the rest of the population is left unprotected. "
" So we want to generate a tool that supports this positive effect of vaccines, but that is much more accessible, easy to use and low cost, "says Diana Valencia.
there is no treatment for HPV, the health problems that 39 It can be treated, in the case of genital warts, they can be treated by the doctor to prevent their growth and quantity, while to identify the initial stages of cervical cancer. , the Pap test must be performed every year [1 9659007] in the application of the HPV vaccine; in Mexico, it is applied to fifth-year girls or, from age 11, it is administered in two doses. In some health centers, the vaccine is free
With the study of Cinvestav, aptamers are presented as a real alternative to the fight against HPV in biomedical research, both in the field of diagnosis and in the field of diagnosis. because of its application as molecular sensors. , as in the therapeutic field, because they are able to interfere in the biological functions of the target molecule
Who is infected with HPV?
Anyone who has been sexually active can ever contract this virus. HPV is easily transmitted between couples through sexual contact, they are more likely in those who have many sexual partners.
Someone may have an HPV infection even though he has no symptoms and only his sexual contact with a person infected with HPV. many years ago
When Cancer Happens
The symptoms of cervical cancer usually only appear when you are at an advanced stage. Some of them are:
- Fatigue, weight loss and appetite
- irregular intermenstrual vaginal bleeding (between menstrual periods) or abnormal vaginal bleeding after having intercourse
- back pain, leg or pelvic
- Vaginal discomfort or smelly vaginal discharge
- Swelling of a single leg
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