Zika virus
Key points:
- Preclinical trials show that Zika virus may aid in inhibiting the spread of prostate cancer.
- But, further studies show the virus also triggers an inflammatory process in healthy epithelial cells.
- Researchers now plan to investigate Zika’s effects on similar cells.
Preclinical trials show that the Zika virus may aid in inhibiting the spread of prostate cancer, making it a possible treatment alternative. However, researchers at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil have discovered a dangerous side effect—Zika triggers an inflammatory process in healthy epithelial cells, which damages the male reproductive system.
After the 2015 Zika outbreak in Brazil, a group at UNICAMP began studying Zika’s effects on biofluids. In 2019, they discovered that inactivated Zika viruses be used to treat not only nerve tumors such as glioblastoma, but also prostate cancer.
Although other studies had suggested that zika easily replicates in healthy prostate epithelial cells and human prostate adenocarcinoma cells, more research was needed to analyze the mechanisms of persistent infection by the virus and its consequences for the metabolism of cells.
The new study, published in the Journal of Proteome Research, is the first to use an in vitro prostate cell model in a metabolomic assay. The researchers extracted infected normal prostate epithelial cells (PNT1a) and adenocarcinoma cells, ionized them and then infused them into a high-resolution mass spectrometer. The team then analyzed the results 5, 10 and 15 days post-infection.
In the case of PNT1a cells, infection by zika led to noteworthy metabolomic alterations, especially regarding glycerolipids, fatty acids and acylcarnitines during the longest period of infection.
According to the authors, these effects could be linked to an increase in oxidative stress metabolites associated with carcinogenesis, so long-term treatment itself could cause a recurrence of prostate cancer and contribute to its malignancy.
The researchers are now investigating Zika’s effects on similar cells in order to confirm their prostate cancer cell discovery and analyze metabolic and replication-related factors.
Although the finding that Zika can have carcinogenic effects on healthy prostate epithelial cells could have been considered a setback, the researchers concluded that it was positive.
“All these questions were relevant in the initial stage of our research, so that future patients who opt for treatment of this kind in future have all the necessary information,” said lead author Rodrigo Ramos Catharino.