The **Zika virus** was prevalent in Brazil and some other countries such as Columbia and south America, and caused a great global panic in 2015-2016. But now it is disovered that the virus may be an effective treatment for some brain tumors. According to a study published this month in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, the ability of Zika virus to damage cancer stem cells has led scientists to use Zika virus for the treatment of a high-lethal **cancer-gum Helioblastoma**, which has yielded gratifying results in mouse trials. This study may provide new ideas for the treatment of **glioblastoma**.


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*Zika virus can be used for treatment of brain tumors, might double the life expectancy*-[source](https://medicalmarijuana.co.uk/new-study-finds-no-link-cannabis-psychosis/)</center>

Cases of Zika virus infection in the human body can be traced back to the 1950s in Africa, but it was not until 2007 that the Federated States of Micronesia in Oceania found for the first time a large-scale outbreak of Zika virus. In fact, the virus transmitted by **aedes mosquitoes** threatens adults more severely. Similar to other **arbovirus** infections, Zika can cause fever, rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, weakness and headache. These symptoms are usually mild and recover in the short term.

 

But in 2015, scientists in Brazil found that when Zika virus is transmitted to infants through mother-child routes, it can trigger **microcephaly**, causing the baby's brain to develop **hypoplasia** and inability to take care of themselves for life. In 2015-2016 alone, 100,000 people were infected in Brazil and 6 were dead.

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Earlier studies have gradually identified the mechanism of Zika virus-induced **microcephaly**. A study published this year in Science magazine showed that Zika virus can attack and replace a protein called **Musashi-1**. While Musashi-1 appears in embryonic neural stem cells, Zika virus can further damage neural stem cells and affect the normal development of the infant's brain. However, due to the adult brain has been fully developed, the small number of stem cells, so Zika virus is found to be difficult to cause serious damage to the adult brain.




Surprisingly, it is this pathogenic mechanism that has made Zika the most dangerous type of brain tumor. **Glioblastoma** is a highly malignant intracranial primary tumor. Due to the high recurrence rate of glioblastoma, the current main treatment methods (including surgery and radiotherapy and chemotherapy) have very limited efficacy and more than half of patients have less than two years of survival. In such cancer tissues, there is a class of **glioblastoma stem cells** (GSCs). **GSC** is the key to the difficult cure of glioblastoma that sustains the continued proliferation of cancerous cells, promotes vascular development, and is even resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

 

Since Zika virus attacks **neural stem cells** in the brain, does GSC, also found in the brain, become an attack target for Zika virus? Based on this consideration, scientists from Washington University in St. Louis and the University of California, San Diego, began experimenting with Zika virus to overcome such stubborn cancers. MilanChheda, co-author of the study and Washington University in St. Louis, believes that for glioblastoma recurrence, 

>"we feel that nature will certainly be able to provide a weapon against it."

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The researchers first used two strains of Zika virus for in **vitro experiments** in laboratory petri dishes. The researchers found that after infecting tumor cells with two types of Zika virus respectively, they were able to target and destroy GSC with no apparent effect on normal mature brain cells.

 

Next, researchers tested **wallica's treatment** of glioblastoma in mice. The researchers divided these cancers into two groups, which were injected with Zika virus and saline (control group). They found that Zika virus-treated mice grew more slowly and survived longer than those that had not been treated. The researchers said that all mice in the control group died in about a month, but nearly half of the treated mice survived after two months and their life expectancy more than doubled.




MichaelDiamond, co-author of this article, said: 

>"Our research is the first step in developing a harmless and effective Zika virus that can be used as a treatment for neurogenic tumors and glioblastomas. "

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[source](https://www.newspakistan.tv/scientific-breakthrough-zika-virus-can-cure-deadly-brain-tumor-permanently/)</center>

Although preliminary tests show some effect, researchers still need more trials to prove that this treatment is harmless and effective. Researchers plan to modify the gene of Zika virus to reduce its **pathogenicity**. Preliminary tests of this "weakened" Zika virus have shown that the virus can still kill GSCs specifically in laboratory dishes.

 

However, there is a need to address further concerns about Zika-based therapies before conducting clinical trials. According to Diamond's perspective, future treatment will be combined with existing **chemotherapy**. He hopes to start human trials within 18 months, and other researchers have taken the lead. Harry Bulstrode, a neuroscientist at Cambridge University, is about to begin human trials of Zika virus glioblastoma and has received £ 200,000 in research funding. 

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In addition, other research groups are also testing the possible effects of measles, polio and herpes simplex virus on **glioblastoma**. Perhaps in the future, some virus that once tortured humans will play a key role in the fight against cancer.
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**References for Text and Images:**
* [Ref 1](https://otm.wustl.edu/zika-virus-kills-brain-cancer-stem-cells/)
* [Ref 2](https://www.boldsky.com/news/glioblastoma-brain-cancer-zika-virus-116978.html)
* [Ref 3](https://newatlas.com/virus-immunotherapy-brain-cancer/52826/)
* [Ref 4](http://www.sci-news.com/medicine/zika-virus-glioblastoma-stem-cells-05199.html)
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