Monash scientists discover that highly lethal viruses hijack cellular defences against cancer
| Aug 6, 2018, 10:57 IST
Henipaviruses are among the deadliest viruses known to man and have no effective treatments. They are on the World Health Organization Blueprint list of priority diseases needing urgent research and development action too. So you can imagine how deadly they are, right? Well, Monash University's Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI) researchers have identified a new mechanism used by Henipaviruses in infection, and potential new targets for antivirals to treat them.
The viruses include Hendra, lethal to humans and horses, and the Nipah virus, a serious threat in East and Southeast Asia. A collaboration of scientists, led by Gregory Moseley, found that Henipaviruses hijack a mechanism used by cells to counter DNA damage and prevent harmful mutations, important in diseases such as cancer. Talking about the virus, Dr Moseley said, "What the virus seems to be doing is imitating part of the DNA damage response." "It is using a mechanism your cells have to protect you against things like ageing and mutations that lead to cancer. This appears to make the cell a better place for the virus to prosper," he said. "We are now trying to work out exactly how changing the DNA damage response through Treacle is useful to this and other dangerous viruses," he added.
The research was supported by the Australian Research Council and the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council.
The viruses include Hendra, lethal to humans and horses, and the Nipah virus, a serious threat in East and Southeast Asia. A collaboration of scientists, led by Gregory Moseley, found that Henipaviruses hijack a mechanism used by cells to counter DNA damage and prevent harmful mutations, important in diseases such as cancer. Talking about the virus, Dr Moseley said, "What the virus seems to be doing is imitating part of the DNA damage response." "It is using a mechanism your cells have to protect you against things like ageing and mutations that lead to cancer. This appears to make the cell a better place for the virus to prosper," he said. "We are now trying to work out exactly how changing the DNA damage response through Treacle is useful to this and other dangerous viruses," he added.
The research was supported by the Australian Research Council and the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council.