Possible Progress in Medicine

[furrbear]

This could be HUGE folks. "Any virus"? Yeah, that means...

…in a development that could transform how viral infections are treated, a team of researchers at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory has designed a drug that can identify cells that have been infected by any type of virus, then kill those cells to terminate the infection.

…In a paper published July 27 in the journal PLoS One, the researchers tested their drug against 15 viruses, and found it was effective against all of them — including rhinoviruses that cause the common cold, H1N1 influenza, a stomach virus, a polio virus, dengue fever and several other types of hemorrhagic fever.

The drug works by targeting a type of RNA produced only in cells that have been infected by viruses. “In theory, it should work against all viruses,” says Todd Rider…

The press release is here.  Let’s see how long it takes to come on-line…

Comments

[toppercub.livejournal.com]

That's amazing! I also read a story today about how researchers programmed a T-cell with a type of virus allows the T-cell to hunt and blow the crap out of leukemia cells. Three people were treated -- two appear cured and one is improved but still has the cancer. Here's the story:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/11/health/research/11cancer.html

Although in re-reading everything, it would seem that the drug in YOUR article would wipe out the treatment in MINE. (grin)

[mort-83.livejournal.com]

Interesting article! My area is bacteriology, not virology and so I'm not as well versed on viral biology and host cell defense. I skimmed the in vitro data and they look pretty good-the in vivo data are couched with careful language. The problem with these type of therapies is that lots of things work great in vitro but hen fall apart in vivo. The mouse experiments were promising, but not a slam dunk-yet. The experiments were set up in a way to get around lots of issues. And they were done by giving the therapy before exposing the mice-this is not the real world scenario where you would treat after someone gets ill. But, it's a first step.

I didn't read the press release. Those things can be filled with hyperbole. I'm cynical when it comes to press releases. ;-)

I will definitely pick the brains of my virology colleagues at work about this, though.....

[furrbear.livejournal.com]

A scientist knows to be skeptical, if not a bit cynical. I think it draws us together.

[mort-83.livejournal.com]

Exactly. Skeptical of many things, particularly one's own work...

[snousle.livejournal.com]

This is broadly similar to genetic engineering techniques my clients employ, so I'm very familiar with the technologies involved. Although I haven't heard of this until now, it looks very promising indeed. I haven't had time to read the article in detail, but at first glance I would ditto everything mort_83 says above. Will definitely look into this further.

[fogbear.livejournal.com]

As you say, this could be a tremendous breakthrough.

I love science.

[eric-mathgeek.livejournal.com]

HOLY SHIT.

[divinelyf1awed.livejournal.com]

One of the biggest questions they need to answer about this treatment is how it will affect someone during the heaviest stages of infection or against chronic infections. That would lead to a very high level of cell death all at once in the body.

Another thing to consider is this seems like it has the potential to destroy neural ganglia in the case of herpesvirus infection, which includes basically everyone who's ever had chicken pox. HSV never really goes away, and anytime it enters a lytic stage it creates dsRNA, which is what triggers the drug action.

[mellowtigger]

Good find. I hadn't seen this article yet.

And also a good point about potential side effects. A lot of viruses continue to hide in various cells, so this antiviral-induced apoptosis might be "too effective" to safely use on anybody unless they were already facing imminent death.