Cellular process to fight herpes virus identified.Byline: ANI London, Mar 24 (ANI): In a collaborative effort, scientists in the US and Canada have identified a cellular process that seeks out and fights herpes virus- Type 1 herpes simplex herpes simplex (hûr`pēz), an acute viral infection of the skin characterized by one or more painful, itching blisters filled with clear fluid. (HSV-1). The finding has uncovered a new way for our immune system immune system Cells, cell products, organs, and structures of the body involved in the detection and destruction of foreign invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells. Immunity is based on the system's ability to launch a defense against such invaders. to combat the elusive virus, which causes cold sores. "Once human cells are infected with Type 1 herpes simplex, the virus comes back because it hides and blocks protection from our immune system. For the first time, our research team has indentified a combative cellular mechanism in this game of hide-and-seek," Nature quoted Luc English, the study's lead author and a doctoral student at the Universiti de Montrial's Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, as saying. He added: "We've found that the nuclear membrane of an infected cell can unmask Type 1 herpes simplex and stimulate the immune system to disintegrate the virus. The discovery was made while the scientists were conducting various tests in HSV-1 infected mice cells. They replicated environments when Type 1 herpes simplex thrives, namely periods of low-grade fever between 38.5 to 39 degrees, and found that herpes-fighting mechanisms were unleashed. Now, the researchers are planning to study how activation of the herpes-combating cellular process could be applied to other illnesses. And the results could speed up the development of therapies to prevent other immune-evading bacteria, parasites and viruses. "Our goal is to further study the molecules implicated in this mechanism to eventually develop therapies against diseases such as HIV HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), either of two closely related retroviruses that invade T-helper lymphocytes and are responsible for AIDS. There are two types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is responsible for the vast majority of AIDS in the United States. or even cancer," said English. Dr. Michel Desjardins, senior author and a professor in the Department of Pathology and Cell Biology at the Universiti de Montreal has said that one can imagine treatment options in a decade. The study is published in the advance online edition of Nature Immunology. (ANI) Copyright 2009 Asian News International The Asian News International (ANI) agency provides multimedia news to China and 50 bureaus in India. It covers virtually all of South Asia since its foundation and presently claims, on its official website, to be the leading South Asia-wide news agency. (ANI) - All Rights Reserved. Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company |
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