Irish scientists led by a group from Trinity College Dublin have discovered how the dangerous respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disables our immune response and, in doing so, have identified an exciting new target for drug developers.
RSV causes a significant disease burden on the global population, with an estimated 33.1 million cases each year, and is the leading cause of childhood bronchiolitis and viral pneumonia. It is also particularly problematic for children and the elderly, with limited and relatively ineffective treatment options.
The team of scientists, working with human airway epithelial cells, discovered that RSV suppresses a key biological pathway in our cells (called the “JAK/STAT pathway”) and prevents key “immune system activators” from moving into the cell nuclei. These activators are normally activated by interferon alpha, our own natural antiviral.
Nigel Stevenson, Associate Professor of Virology and Immunology in Trinity’s School of Biochemistry and Immunology, is the lead author of the research paper which has just been published in the leading journal Frontiers in immunology. Nigel, who works at Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute (TBSI), said:
“Interferon alpha, which triggers signals in our cells through the JAK/STAT pathway, is responsible for triggering hundreds of antiviral genes that then attack the virus in different ways. So when RSV prevents interferon from communicating with these genes, the virus shuts down our immune response, which can allow the virus to take hold and quickly cause very serious medical problems.
“Our discovery is an exciting revelation because it identifies the JAK/STAT pathway as a prime target for therapeutic immune restoration. And this new knowledge is invaluable to drug designers, who need to fully understand how a virus evades our immune system before they can successfully create a treatment to turn the tide.
“We envision that such a therapy could have a significant impact on the treatment of RSV and even eliminate an RSV infection, which would represent a much-needed solution for both children and the elderly, who are highly vulnerable to this dangerous virus.”