2017-09-14

HKBU scholars develop world-first dual imaging and inhibiting agent with high efficacy in suppressing EBV-associated tumours in mice
HKBU scholars along with their collaborators announced the world’s first
chemical compound (probe) that can detect Epstein-Barr virus
(EBV)-infected cells in mice, and simultaneously inhibit these tumour
cells with an efficacy rate of above 90%. This discovery lays a good
foundation for the development of therapeutics for use against diseases
associated with EBV, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma which is
prevalent in Southern China. The study was published in the renowned
international journal Nature Biomedical Engineering.
The study showed that the probe containing the inhibitor luminesces when
bound to the EBV encoded viral protein EBNA1 of EBV-infected cells in
mice. It could thus be applied as an agent to detect the presence of
tumours. The probe can also prevent the formation of EBNA1 homodimer and
the study showed that the probe results in a 93% reduction in size of
EBV-positive tumours in mice. With further development, this probe could
potentially be used for imaging and suppression of human tumour cells.
The research team of this cross-disciplinary study is led by Associate
Professor of HKBU Department of Chemistry Dr Gary Wong, and Professor of
HKBU Department of Biology Professor Mak Nai-ki. Their collaborators,
who are experts in various disciplines in HKBU, include Director of the
Clinical Division of the School of Chinese Medicine Professor Bian
Zhao-xiang, Research Assistant Professor of the Department of Biology Dr
Lung Hong-lok, Senior Research Assistant of the Department of Chemistry
Miss Jiang Lijun, as well as scholars of The Hong Kong Polytechnic
University, The University of Hong Kong, and Durham University and
University of Birmingham in the UK.
Dr Gary Wong said, “The establishment of EBV latency is closely
associated with the oncogenic development of several human malignancies,
including nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In the past few decades, EBNA1 has
been considered an attractive target for anti-viral therapy, attracting a
great deal of attention from researchers working in this community.
Several studies on the inhibition of EBNA1, a dual-probe to track the
EBNA1 at the nucleus level, were published but an agent with dual
functions is still not yet available. Our team has developed the world’s
first dual agent that can simultaneously perform imaging and suppress
EBV-associated tumours.”
Dr Wong said he believes the study is not only a groundbreaking
achievement, but also highly encouraging as the dual agent attains an
efficacy rate of more than 90% in suppressing EBV-associated tumours. He
added that with further development, this probe could potentially be
applied to the imaging of tumour cells in the human body and lead to the
development of therapeutics and enhance the overall efficacy of
targeted therapeutics.
Dr Wong envisaged that scientists could make further developments on
such probes since the zinc finger structure in EBNA1 homodimer is
thought to contribute to the formation of EBNA1 homodimer.
This groundbreaking research project, entitled “EBNA1-targeted probe for
the imaging and growth inhibition of tumours associated with the
Epstein-Barr virus”, was published in the renowned international
journal Nature Biomedical Engineering. (doi:10.1038/s41551-017-0042)
Nature Biomedical Engineering and Cell Chemical Biology published a commentary respectively highlighting the findings and significance of this study.
from HKBU eNews
https://bunews.hkbu.edu.hk/news/knowledge/hkbu-scholars-develop-world-first-dual-imaging-and-inhibiting-agent-with-high-efficacy-in-suppressing-ebv-associated-tumours-in-mice