A study published in Cell Biomaterials has discovered that the cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV), a plant virus typically infecting black-eyed peas, can trigger an immune response against cancer cells. Researchers found that CPMV activates innate immune cells and establishes systemic, long-lasting anti-tumor memory, making it a promising low-cost and potent cancer immunotherapy.
Unlike other plant viruses, CPMV stimulates type I, II, and III interferons, which have well-known anti-cancer properties. The virus also delivers its RNAs to the endolysosome, where they activate toll-like receptor 7, a critical component in priming antiviral and anti-tumor immune responses.
The researchers also found that CPMV can be produced using molecular farming, making it a cost-effective option compared to other immunotherapies. The team is now working toward advancing CPMV to clinical trials.
“This work gives us insight into how CPMV works so well,” said Anthony Omole, the study’s first author. “What we found most exciting is that although human immune cells are not infected by CPMV, they respond to it and are reprogrammed toward an activated state, which ultimately trains them to detect and eradicate cancerous cells.”
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-virus-triggers-immune-response-destroys.html