Jesús Prieto, Gloria González Aseguinolaza and Matías ávila, three specialists from the area of Gene Therapy and Hepatology of the CIMA of the University of Navarra, participated in an international congress on the genetic instructions of liver diseases held in Modena.

goal The quotation, convened by the European and American associations for the study of the liver, was attended by 25 specialists from the two continents with the aim of sharing the latest knowledge about the genetic instructions of liver diseases; as well as to exchange the latest developments on the treatment of these diseases using gene therapy.

Hepatoprotective molecules

Dr. Jesús Prieto, director of the area of Gene Therapy and Hepatology of the CIMA of the University of Navarra, presented at the congress the data clinical and preclinical results of some research carried out by his department. He compared the limited effects of cancer treatment with first generation adenovirus, due to the short expression of the drug, with the results obtained with vectors (in experimental models) that allow the prolonged presence of the drug in the tumor.

On the other hand, Matias Avila demonstrated the functioning of hepatoprotective molecules used by the liver to defend itself against agents that can cause acute damage, such as the cytokine cardiotrophin or the growth factor amphiregulin. "These substances, administered in the form of recombinant proteins, can prevent acute liver damage caused by hepatotoxic substances, viral infections or after liver transplantation," stressed the researcher.

Likewise, Gloria González Aseguinolaza explained the promising results obtained in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B thanks to the use of viral vectors, "which facilitate the production of longer-lasting drugs," she said.