Scientists are planning to use human immunodeficiencyvirus, one of mankinds most feared viruses, as a carrier of genes which can fight cancer and a range of diseases that cannot be cured. The experts say HIV has an almost perfect ability to avoid the bodys immunedefenses, making it ideal for carrying replacement genes into patients bodies, according to the Observer.
A team at the California-based Salk Institute, one of the worlds leading research centers on biological sciences, has created a special new breed of HIV and has started negotiations with the US Food and Drug Administrationto begin clinical gene therapy trials this year. The first trials are expected to involve patients suffering from cancers that cannot be cured by surgery although project leader Professor Inder Verma said the HIV technique would have far wider applications.
The plan remains very likely to cause controversy since it involves making use of a virus which has caused more than 22 million deaths around the world in the past two decades. Verma said that the idea of using HIV for a beneficial purpose was shocking but the fierce nature of HIV had disappeared by having all six of the potentially deadly genes removed.
Illnesses such as various cancers are caused when a gene in a patients body fails to work properly. In the past two years, breakthroughs in geneticshave led gene therapy scientists to try and replace the genes that do not function normally.
Unfortunately, the bodys immune defenses have been known to attack the modified genes and make them lose their effects before they can start their task and progress in the field has been held up by the lack of a suitable carrier.
The HIV virus has the ability to escape from, and then destroy, the immune defense cells designed to protect our bodies and this makes it attractive to scientists as a way of secretly conveying replacement genes into patients bodies.
16 FDA has approved the plan of using HIV to cure cancer in humans.
A Right
B Wrong
C Not mentioned
17 The idea of using HIV for a beneficial purpose has been widely accepted.
A Right
B Wrong
C Not mentioned
18 HIV can be safely used to cure cancer only if the deadly genes have been removed.
A Right
B Wrong
C Not mentioned
19 The HIV virus is an excellent warrior to fight the bodys immune cells.
A Right
B Wrong
C Not mentioned
20 Other countries are also expected to begin clinical gene therapy trials soon.
A Right
B Wrong
C Not mentioned
21 It is the lack of money that has held up the progress in using replacement genes to cure cancer.
A Right
B Wrong
C Not mentioned
22 The HIV virus has caused more deaths in developed countries.
A Right
B Wrong
C Not mentioned
答案:16.B 17.B 18.A 19.A 20.C 21.B 22.C
2010年高考典型例题分析讲解四
2010年高考典型例题分析讲解一
高考英语名词考点分析
2010年高考典型例题分析讲解五
2010年高考英语语法精讲汇总
高考英语知识点之时态
2014高考听力应试策略
2011年高考英语短文改错练习题2
2011年高考英语短文改错练习题10
2010年高考典型例题分析讲解八
2011年高考英语短文改错练习题11
2011年高考英语短文改错练习题6
2011年高考英语短文改错练习题12
高考英语语法速记口诀:名词单数变复数规则
2011年高考英语短文改错练习题13
2011年高考英语短文改错练习题9
高考英语冲刺:名词性从句的十大考点全攻略
2010年高考典型例题分析讲解二
2010高考英语定语从句与强调句陷阱题详解
2011年高考英语短文改错练习题1
高考英语语法速记口诀:名词所有格用法
2010年高考英语语法精讲三十七:表语从句
2010年高考英语语法精讲三十九:宾语从句
2011年高考英语短文改错练习题14
2014年高考备考:高中英语语法速记口诀
2014高考英语语法特训及答案(1)
2011年高考英语短文改错练习题3
高考英语语法速记口诀:形容词和副词比较级
2011年高考英语短文改错练习题8
高考英语语法速记口诀:接动名词作宾语的动词
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |