Imagine a deadly intruder using a secret handshake to sneak into your house. That’s kind of what the measles virus does to human cells. But scientists just captured a stunning image of how a powerful antibody stops the virus dead in its tracks.
This exciting discovery by researchers at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) could lead to new treatments for measles, a disease that still kills thousands of children worldwide each year.
Measles Virus
Measles is a highly contagious disease that spreads through the air. It’s especially dangerous for young children, and despite widespread vaccination efforts, outbreaks still occur. The virus infects cells by latching onto a specific protein on their surface, like a key fitting into a lock. This triggers a complex molecular dance that allows the virus to merge with the cell and unleash its destructive power.
Stopping the Fusion in its Tracks
The LJI team focused on a protein called mAb 77, an antibody that acts like a shield against the measles virus. Using a powerful imaging technique, they were able to capture the exact moment mAb 77 throws a wrench into the virus’s fusion process.
The images reveal how mAb 77 binds to the measles virus’s fusion protein, the key player in the cell invasion. This binding jams the protein mid-transformation, preventing it from completing the final step needed to merge with the cell membrane.
Beyond Measles: A Hope for Other Viruses
This research isn’t just about measles. The team believes this approach could be used to fight other viruses that use a similar fusion process to enter cells, including Nipah virus, a deadly relative of measles.
The Race for a Measles Treatment
While vaccines are the best defense against measles, there’s currently no specific treatment for the disease. This new understanding of how mAb 77 works paves the way for developing antibody-based therapies that could protect people from measles or even treat ongoing infections.
A Collaborative Effort for a Brighter Future
The success of this research highlights the importance of collaboration. By combining expertise in structural biology from LJI with cell biology and virology knowledge from Columbia University, scientists are getting closer to winning the fight against measles.
This discovery offers a glimmer of hope for a future free from the devastating effects of measles. With continued research, these “snapshots” of the fusion process could lead to powerful new weapons in our arsenal against this preventable disease.
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