Finding could lead to new treatments for herpes, flu and coronavirus

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Introduction

A new study led by Aarhus University (Denmark) has identified how herpes viruses bypass the body's immune system and cause infections and diseases.

Viruses have an exceptional ability to evade the body's immune system and cause disease. Most people recover from a viral infection like the flu, although the current COVID-19 pandemic shows how dangerous viruses are when there is no vaccine or effective treatment.

Professor and virologist Soren Riis Paludan from the Department of Biomedicine at Aarhus University, Denmark, has been leading a research partnership between Aarhus University, the University of Oxford and the University of Gothenburg, which has brought understanding the tactics used by viruses when attacking the immune system.

Soren Riis Paludan runs a laboratory that conducts research on the immune system's ability to fight diseases caused by the herpes virus, influenza viruses and, more recently, SARS-CoV2, better known as coronavirus.

Development

In the new study, which has just been published in the scientific journal 'Journal of Experimental Medicine', researchers have investigated the way in which the herpes simplex virus bypasses the immune system to cause brain infections. It is a rare infection, but it has a high mortality rate among those affected.

«In the study, we found that the herpes simplex virus is able to inhibit a protein in cells, known as STING, which is activated when there is a threat. When STING is inhibited, the body's immune system is also inhibited. The virus, therefore, puts on the brakes on the body, which is supposed to prevent us from getting sick. Other viruses also make use of the same principle,” explains Soren Riis Paludan.

Implications

The study's finding could have important implications for the development of new treatments for herpes, flu and coronavirus.

If researchers can find a way to prevent viruses from blocking STING, they could develop antivirals that help fight these infections.

Conclusion

Although the study focuses on herpesviruses, there are parallels with the coronavirus. Interestingly, the same protein is also inhibited by many different viruses, including the coronavirus. "This suggests that we have found an Achilles heel in the virus and the way it establishes infections in the body. Our results lead us to hope that if we can prevent viruses from blocking STING, then we can prevent the virus from replicating. "That could pave the way for new principles of treatment for herpes, flu and also coronavirus," he points out.

The researcher hopes that the research results can be used in the development of antivirals and vaccines in the future. «Previous studies have also shown that the coronavirus inhibits the STD in the same way as the herpes virus. "This suggests that we have found a common denominator for several types of viruses, and that this is probably an important element in the development of the treatment," he concludes.

This is just the beginning. Today, research continues to reveal secrets about how viruses manipulate our immune system.

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