Using Modified Viruses to Turn Vaccine Immunity Against Cancer
利用改造病毒將疫苗免疫力轉向對抗癌症
Introduction
Researchers have created a new method using engineered phages to redirect the immune system's memory from old vaccinations to find and destroy cancer cells.
研究人員開發了一種新方法，利用工程噬菌體將免疫系統的記憶從舊有疫苗重新導向，以尋找並摧毀癌細胞。
Main Body
A major problem with current cancer immunotherapy is that the immune system often fails to recognize tumors as targets. To solve this, scientists from Imperial College London modified a phage usually found in E. coli. This change allows the phage to attach specifically to certain proteins found in tumor cells but rarely in healthy tissue. Furthermore, the phage was designed to carry a malaria antigen, which acts as a signal to alert the immune system.
目前癌症免疫療法的一個主要問題在於免疫系統經常無法將腫瘤識別為目標。為了克服這一點，倫敦帝國學院的科學家修改了一種通常存在於大腸桿菌中的噬菌體。這種改變使得噬菌體能專門黏附在腫瘤細胞中存在、但健康組織中罕見的特定蛋白質上。此外，該噬菌體被設計為攜帶瘧疾抗原，作為提醒免疫系統的訊號。
In a study with 60 mice with tumors, one group received both a malaria vaccine and six injections of these engineered phages. This group showed a 44 percent tumor removal rate with no return of the disease for one year, and they lived longer than the other groups. David Withers from the University of Oxford emphasized that this method is better than some other viruses because it can be injected into the bloodstream, whereas other treatments require direct injection into the tumor, making them less effective for cancer that has spread.
在一項針對 60 隻患有腫瘤小鼠的研究中，其中一組同時接受了瘧疾疫苗和六次工程噬菌體注射。該組顯示出 44% 的腫瘤清除率，且一年內未復發，且壽命比其他組更長。牛津大學的 David Withers 強調，這種方法比其他某些病毒更好，因為它可以注入血液，而其他療法需要直接注射到腫瘤中，這使得它們對已擴散的癌症效果較差。
Regarding future use, Amin Hajitou stated that this method is not limited to malaria antigens. Because it uses existing immune memory, vaccines for influenza or COVID-19 could potentially be used in a similar way. Consequently, the research team is now talking with the UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to start human clinical trials next year.
關於未來應用，Amin Hajitou 表示此方法並不限於瘧疾抗原。由於它利用現有的免疫記憶，流感或 COVID-19 疫苗也可能以類似方式使用。因此，研究團隊目前正與英國藥品及醫療產品監管局 (MHRA) 洽談，計劃於明年開始人類臨床試驗。
Conclusion
The study shows that using phages to trigger existing vaccine immunity can effectively destroy tumors, and human trials are now being planned.
研究顯示，利用噬菌體觸發現有的疫苗免疫力能有效摧毀腫瘤，目前正計劃進行人類試驗。
Vocabulary Learning
🚀 THE B2 LEAP: From 'Simple Links' to 'Logical Flow'
At the A2 level, you probably use and, but, and because to connect your ideas. To reach B2, you need Transition Signals. These are words that tell the reader exactly how two ideas relate, making your English sound professional and academic.
🔍 The 'Connective' Upgrade
Look at these specific phrases from the text. They do the same job as simple words, but with more precision:
| A2 Simple Word | B2 Upgrade (From Text) | Why it's better |
|---|---|---|
| Also | Furthermore | It adds a new, important point to a list of facts. |
| So | Consequently | It shows a direct result of a scientific discovery. |
| But | Whereas | It compares two opposite things in one single sentence. |
🛠️ How to use them in real life
1. The 'Furthermore' Stack Instead of saying: "The car is fast. And it is cheap," Try: "The car is fast; furthermore, it is affordable."
2. The 'Whereas' Balance Instead of saying: "I like tea. But my brother likes coffee," Try: "I prefer tea, whereas my brother prefers coffee."
3. The 'Consequently' Result Instead of saying: "It rained. So the game stopped," Try: "It rained heavily; consequently, the game was cancelled."
💡 Coach's Tip: Don't use these in every sentence! Use them when you want to guide the reader through a complex argument. This is the secret to sounding 'fluent' rather than just 'correct'.