Researchers from UW
Medicine and associated collaborators developed a drug like molecule that can
able to activate innate immune system to control range of RNA viruses like West
Nile, Hepatitis C, Dengue, Respiratory syncytial, Nipah, Influenza A, Lassa and
even Ebola. The research was published recently in Journal of Virology, which had shown promising evidence for
creating a broad-spectrum of antiviral.
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| Cells under a microscope in a UW Medicine Immunity Lab. Source: UW Health News/Dennis Wise |
Michael Gale Jr.,
professor in Immunology at the University of Washington and director at UW
Center for Innate Immunity and Immune Disease reported at UW Health Science
news, “Our compound has an
antiviral effect against all these viruses”.
The molecule which is present in all of our cells called RIG-I is a
cellular protein called pathogen recognition receptor. These receptors can able
to detect viral RNA and signal innate immune system to trigger essential
mechanisms to limit and control the viral infection. The signal able to induce
many innate immune responses and expression of antiviral genes to limit the
viral infection. Such activation was proved with successful experiments on cells
and in mice. Researchers reported that next step would be to test dosing and to
look for stability in animal models and then finally over humans. The whole
process would be expected to take around 5years.
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