题目内容:
回答题:UsingHIVVirustoCureCancer
Scientistsareplanningtousehumanimmunodeficiency(免疫缺陷)virus(HIV),oneofmankind’smostfearedviruses,asacarrierofgeneswhichcanfightcancerandarangeofdiseasesthatcannotbecured.TheexpertssayHIVhasanalmostperfectabilitytoavoidthebody’simmune(免疫的)defenses,makingitidealforcarryingreplacementgenesintopatients’bodies,accordingtotheObserver.
AteamattheCalifornia-basedSalkInstitute,oneoftheworld’sleadingresearchcentersonbiologicalsciences,hascreatedaspecialnewbreedofHIVandhasstartednegotiationswiththeU>S>FoodandDrugAdministration(FDA)tobeginclinicalgenetherapy(治疗)trialsthisyear.ThefirsttrialsareexpectedtoinvolvepatientssufferingfromcancersthatcannotbecuredbysurgeryalthoughprojectleaderProfessorInderVermasaidtheHIVtechniquewouldhave”farwiderapplications”.
Theplanremainsverylikelytocausecontroversysinceitinvolvesmakinguseofaviruswhichhascausedmorethan22milliondeathsaroundtheworldinthepasttwodecades.VermasaidthattheideaofusingHIVforabeneficialpurposewas“shocking”butthefiercenatureofHIVhaddisappearedbyhavingallsixofthepotentiallydeadlygenesremoved.
Illnessessuchasvariouscancersarecausedwhenageneinapatient’sbodyfailstoworkproperly.Inthepasttwoyears,breakthroughsingenetics(遗传学)haveledgenetherapyscientiststotryandreplacethegenesthatdonotfunctionnormally.
Unfortunately,thebody’simmunedefenseshavebeenknowntoattackthemodifiedgenesandmake them lose their effects before they can start their task and progress in the field has been held up by the lack of a suitable carrier.
The HIV virus has the ability to escape from, and then destroy, the immune defense cells designed to protect our bodies and this makes it attractive to scientists as a way of secretly conveying replacement genes into patients’ bodies.
FDA has approved the plan of using HIV to cure cancer in humans.
A.Right
B.Wrong
C.Not mentioned
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