2006年VOA标准英语-Researchers Cure Lethal Cancer in Mice

By Jessica Berman
Washington
08 May 2006
 
Scientists report they have cured a highly malignant¹ form of cancer in ordinary laboratory mice using the white blood cells of mice that are resistant² to cancer. Scientists say while the research holds promise, a cure for human cancer may be a long way off.

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A cancer-resistant mouse in one of the rooms housing the colony   
  

In an early online publication of Proceedings³ of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers at Wake Forest University in North Carolina describe how the white blood cells of a strain of the mighty⁴, cancer resistant mice, injected into normal mice with aggressive cancer, completely cured the rodents⁶.

"You can actually see these events," said Zheng Cui, the study's lead author. "The tumor⁷ cells get attacked by these immune cells, and then they just swell⁸ like a balloon and then eventually just pop."

In a prior study, researchers reported that white blood cells from the cancer resistant mice protect normal mice exposed to cancer causing substances.

In addition, Cui says mice cured of cancer remain cancer- free.

The story of the mighty mice began in 1999 when the scientists injected laboratory mice with a variety of substances so they could study them.

All of the mice developed cancer except for a single rodent⁵, according to tumor biologist Cui.

"We said probably maybe we made a mistake or the injection was bad," he said. "And then we kept injecting him, but he just refused to grow cancer."
 

Dr. Zheng Cui and Dr. Mark Willingham  
  
Cui and colleagues bred the mouse and, much to their surprise, half of its offspring were also completely resistant to any form of cancer development. So far, researchers have at least 2,000 mice with the trait.

For reasons scientists are trying to understand, the mice possess a mutation⁹ that stimulates¹⁰ an immediate¹¹, extremely aggressive immune reaction against the cancer.

White blood cells that are normally charged with fighting infection are recruited to fight the cancer.

To test the effectiveness of the experimental therapy, Cui says investigators¹² created mice with enormous tumors - the equivalent of one kilogram in humans - and injected them with the white cells.

"In other words, if they don't get cured, they will be dead," he said. "So, that kind of situation. So, we really sort of elevate[d] the level of challenge into a very high doses and also very advances stages of cancer."

Time and again, the therapy destroyed the cancer.

Bruce Beutler, a professor of immunology at Scripps Research Institute in California, notes that 98 percent of mouse genes¹³ are identical to human genes, so it's likely that a mighty mouse mutation against cancer exists in humans.

Berman: "So, what you really need to do is try to bottle it.

Beutler: "I suppose so. I think the key question now is what is the target and can the effect of the mutation be mimicked¹⁴ by a drug, is the second question."

But humans are not mice. Cui says there are many factors that go into cancer development in humans, including the fact the disease often occurs in old age and among young, healthy people. And sorting out the genetics will take some time.

1 malignant   

adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的

参考例句：

• Alexander got a malignant slander.亚历山大受到恶意的诽谤。
• He started to his feet with a malignant glance at Winston.他爬了起来，不高兴地看了温斯顿一眼。

2 resistant   

adj.(to)抵抗的，有抵抗力的

参考例句：

• Many pests are resistant to the insecticide.许多害虫对这种杀虫剂有抵抗力。
• They imposed their government by force on the resistant population.他们以武力把自己的统治强加在持反抗态度的人民头上。

3 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

4 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

5 rodent   

n.啮齿动物；adj.啮齿目的

参考例句：

• When there is a full moon,this nocturnal rodent is careful to stay in its burrow.月圆之夜，这种夜间活动的啮齿类动物会小心地呆在地洞里不出来。
• This small rodent can scoop out a long,narrow tunnel in a very short time.这种小啮齿动物能在很短的时间里挖出一条又长又窄的地道来。

6 rodents   

n.啮齿目动物( rodent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Rodents carry diseases and are generally regarded as pests. 啮齿目动物传播疾病，常被当作害虫对待。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Some wild rodents in Africa also harbor the virus. 在非洲，有些野生啮齿动物也是储毒者。 来自辞典例句

7 tumor   

n.（肿）瘤，肿块(英)tumour

参考例句：

• He was died of a malignant tumor.他死于恶性肿瘤。
• The surgeons irradiated the tumor.外科医生用X射线照射那个肿瘤。

8 swell   

vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强

参考例句：

• The waves had taken on a deep swell.海浪汹涌。
• His injured wrist began to swell.他那受伤的手腕开始肿了。

9 mutation   

n.变化，变异，转变

参考例句：

• People who have this mutation need less sleep than others.有这种突变的人需要的睡眠比其他人少。
• So far the discussion has centered entirely around mutation in the strict sense.到目前为止，严格来讲，讨论完全集中于围绕突变问题上。

10 stimulates   

v.刺激( stimulate的第三人称单数 )；激励；使兴奋；起兴奋作用，起刺激作用，起促进作用

参考例句：

• Exercise stimulates the body. 运动促进身体健康。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Alcohol stimulates the action of the heart. 酒刺激心脏的活动。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

11 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

12 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

14 mimicked   

v.（尤指为了逗乐而）模仿( mimic的过去式和过去分词 )；酷似

参考例句：

• He mimicked her upper-class accent. 他模仿她那上流社会的腔调。 来自辞典例句
• The boy mimicked his father's voice and set everyone off laughing. 男孩模仿他父亲的嗓音，使大家都大笑起来。 来自辞典例句