Question

In a new cancer treatment, a cold virus is genetically modified so that it binds to, enters, and is replicated in cells, causing them to burst. The modified cold virus cannot replicate when wildtype p53 protein is present in the cell. How does this treatment treat cancer without harming healthy cells?

a) By inducing apoptosis in p53-deficient cancer cells
b) By activating the p53 pathway in cancer cells
c) By stimulating angiogenesis in cancer cells
d) By inhibiting the immune response in cancer cells

Answer 1

The treatment selectively targets cancer cells by using a modified virus that only replicates in p53-deficient cells, leading to their destruction.

Step-by-step explanation:

The new cancer treatment leverages the cell-killing ability of oncolytic viruses that have been genetically engineered to selectively infect and kill cancer cells without harming healthy cells. This specificity comes from the modified cold virus's inability to replicate in cells containing the wildtype p53 protein, which is often functional in healthy cells and deficient in cancer cells. In cancer cells where p53 is mutant or absent, the virus replicates until the cell bursts, effectively treating cancer. The most accurate answer to the question is a) By inducing apoptosis in p53-deficient cancer cells, given that p53's role is crucial in controlling cell cycle and apoptosis, and its loss facilitates uncontrolled cell division and tumor growth.