COVID Spike Proteins Help Cancer Cells Survive, Resist Chemotherapy: Brown University Preprint Paper
Via the Epoch Times
Spike protein from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, potentially promotes cancer by interfering with anti-cancer activities, according to a recent preprint cell study from Brown University.
The preprint authors, led by Dr. Wafik El-Deiry, director of the Cancer Center at Brown University, exposed cancer cells to spike protein subunits. They found that the spike subunits may promote cancer survival and growth by blocking a cancer suppressor gene known as p53.
The gene—the most commonly affected by cancer—stops cancer cell growth and encourages DNA repair.
“Interfering with p53 can promote cancer development as well as aid cancer growth,” Dr. El-Deiry told The Epoch Times.
“We saw enhanced cancer cell viability in the presence of SARS-CoV-2 spike S2 subunit after treatment with several chemotherapy agents,” said Dr. El-Deiry.