Effects of Gene p53 the Tumor Repressor Essay -- Biology Cancer

"Induction of Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes and Antitumor Immunity with DNA Vaccines Expressing Single T Cell Epitopes," by Frank Ciernik, Jay A. Berzofsky, and David P. Carbone explores the uses of the gene gun and how it can induce both humoral and cellular immunity. The paper specifically explores the effects of p53, a tumor repressor which gets its name from its molecular weight( p53 is a protein that has a molecular weight of 53). It is tremendously important because fifty percent of known cancer types stem from a mutation in this gene. A Brief History of Immunization Vaccines came about some 200 years ago when Jenner discovered that if someone caught a mild case of cowpox they would not get smallpox. In 1879, another scientist, Louis Pasteur, accidentally discovered the vaccine for fowl cholera by leaving cultures out in his laboratory. Later, Pasteur went on to develop an effective vaccine for rabies. The typhoid and cholera vaccines were produced by Wilhelm Kolle in 1896. The groundwork for tetanus and diptheria toxid vaccines was laid by Emil von Behring and Emile Roux in the early 20th century. In 1955, the polio vaccine, developed by Jonas Salk, was licensed. The Contagious and Non-Contagious Infectious Diseases Sourcebook estimates that a vaccine for chickenpox developed by Merrick Sharp Dohme will soon be available. ADVANTAGES There are many advantages to using gene immunization rather than protein immunization. For example, it is more effective at inducing cellular and humoral responses than protein. More importantly, it is safer. By targeting only the desired epitope, this method of immunization avoids the induction of unwanted responses. A current example of an unwelcome response would be... ... tumor cells in the mice. Modern Applications of Genetic Immunization The implications of the proposed vaccines introduced by this research could be immense. Along with the advantages over traditional vaccines, they may be applicable to infectious diseases of which no preventative measures are currently known. Effective immunization for infectious diseases could include innoculation from: BSE/ Cholera, Dengue, Ebola virus, Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, Hepatitis B, C viruses; Herpes simplex virus, HIV, Influenza, Malaria, Meningitis-causing enteroviruses, Papilloma virus, Rabies virus, Tuberculosis, and Yellow Fever. In addition, DNA epitope vaccines may elicit protective immune responses against cancer. Induced response against identified T cell epitopes including the inhibition of tumor growth could be the result of this break-through technology.