Harvard Researchers Develop Drug-Free Respiratory Infection Defending Nasal Spray

Harvard Medicine has developed a simple, drug free, and highly effective prophylactic measure against respiratory infections such as pneumonia, influenza, and COVID-19. Referred to as a 'Pathogen Capture and Neutralizing Spray', or PCANS, this spray coats the nasal cavity for up to eight hours and acts as a physical barrier that neutralizes a variety of viruses and bacteria with more than 99.99% effectiveness.

Though it sounds promising and novel, it does not serve as a substitution for vaccines-- only as an additional layer of protection. It is worth noting that the study of its effectiveness came from a clinical trial tested on mice. The effectiveness of the spray may vary in a real-world environment. It is currently on the market under the name 'Profi' and retails for around $20, but human clinical trials have not yet been publicly released and the product has not been FDA approved. Still, this cheap, safe, and convenient spray may serve as an additional layer of protection against common infections.

https://www.profispray.com/
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2024/09/drug-free-nasal-spray-blocks-neutralizes-viruses-bacteria/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.202406348?utm_campaign=publicity&utm_content=WRH_9_23_24&utm_medium=email&utm_source=publicity&utm_term=ADMA
https://genesdev.cshlp.org/content/early/2024/10/03/gad.351913.124

Virus found to adapt through newly discovered path of evolution

Colleagues of the University of California San Diego has discovered a new path of evolution. They found a process that is previsously unseen in evolution. With these new finding they were doing research on how mutations arise to make transmission easy from one host to another and how genes acquire new functions. This could be applied to investagate virual diseases such as bird flu and Ebola. This was a step in the right direction for these researchers, they realized by learning how virsues achieve evolutionary flexibility they can have a new way of how to step up “road blocks” to stop new diseases from emerging.

Katherine Petrie led this project, the researchers used lamba, which is a virus that infect bacteria but not humans; this allows flexibility in lab testing. In the lab they were able to capture the evolutionary process in action. They found that the proteins mistakes allowed the virus to infect the normal host. Now the researchers are looking for eamples of their new discovered evolutionary epsidoe and to see how common this is.  

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180329141037.htm

http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/pressrelease/virus_found_to_adapt_through_newly_discovered_path_of_evolution

Identification of mutation makes treatment possible

The location of a genetic mutation which leads to a disease of the immune system has been identified. The gene responsible codes for the protein ZAP70 (70 kDa), which is involved with intracellular signaling with T-cells, which help fight viruses and other invaders in the body. The hypomorphic mutation of this gene can create combined immunodeficiency and new research has lead to the creation of a molecule that blocks this mutation and allows the fully functioning expression of ZAP70. It may be possible to use this as treatment for those with this immunodeficiency or similar hypomorphic mutations. This work matters because the more we know about these slight mutations the closer a proper treatment is to being developed and utilized. Through genetics, it may be possible to save a lifetime of suffering.

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20170406/Researchers-solve-medical-mystery-through-genetics.aspx

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091674917302403

Can Viruses Kill Cancer?

A recent study at the IDIBAPS Biomedical Research Institute and Institute for Research in Biomedicine has come up with a new way to treat cancer. By genetically modifying viruses, they are able to get them to differentiate between healthy and cancerous cells and have them attack only cancer cells without causing any harm to the healthy tissue. This study utilizes the expression of the four different CPEB proteins, which are RNA binding proteins. The four CPEBs are normally balanced, however when an imbalance occurs it can trigger the development of cancer. For example, CPEB4 is produce profusely in cancerous cells and CPEB1 is completely absent in cancerous cells. Viruses are genetically modified to recognize cells with high levels of CPEB4 and low levels of CPEB1 and attack those cells specifically. Researchers are currently perfecting the technique and hope to bring it to clinical trials soon.


https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170316112147.htm
http://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms14833

Ancient Pottery Reveals Common Virus

Around 600-450 B.C.E., a high-class individual had very concerning symptoms. After he died, the villagers stored his blood and organs in pottery, and left them in a burial mound. Archaeologists have been able to use a technique to analyze the proteins on the vessels. They've uncovered the presence of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHFV), concluding that this is what the individual had died of. CCHFV is also a tick-borne disease that is still spread and kills people to this date.

Archaeologists note that over time as the contents of the pottery decay, it leaves a film of residue of any of the organic matter left inside. They are trying to figure out ways to uncover and analyze these proteins. For this study, detergents and chemicals were used on the pottery to uncover any protein fragments. Isolating and analyzing the protein fragments led them to add it to the national protein database.

"Recovering nucleic acids from ancient viruses is extremely difficult and plagued by contamination,” notes Angelique Corthals, a forensic anthropologist at the City University of New York in New York City, who was not involved in the study. "Virus proteins are more readily accessible and less prone to degradation." 

This study helped them realize that ancient viruses are more easily identified by the protein instead of their DNA or RNA. The proteins are much more stable and can be preserved for a long amount of time. Archaeologists wonder if this finding proves that CCHFV was endemic for the entire region. Pottery won't be overlooked anymore.

It would be interesting if they could trace back other well known diseases due to their pottery findings. There could be origins of different well known viruses on many objects that have just been overlooked as artifacts with no scientific value.

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/12/human-blood-organs-and-surprising-virus-detected-ancient-pottery

http://www.who.int/csr/disease/crimean_congoHF/en/

New Science Behind The Flu

With each flu season that comes and goes there are new vaccines created. In addition to these new vaccines there are new findings that explore possible ways to enhance the benefits of the flu vaccine as well as determine factors that cause more harm than good for patients that receive the vaccine. For instance, research has shown that nasal flu spray has not combat the flu virus and as a result researchers have advised doctors to refrain from giving patients the option of the nasal spray which is popular among children. Children will need to still get the vaccine injected since it is recommended that anyone 6 months and older receive the shot by the end of October. One difference that may be the cause of the nasal spray being less effective than before is the actual viruses it is designed to target. In previous years the nasal spray was only designed to target three different viruses, but in recent years it can target four.

 Another issues that comes about when receiving the vaccine is whether or not it will actually be effective each flu season. If a patient receives a vaccine that is design to target a specific strain of the flu repeatedly year after year, the vaccine will become less effective because the antibodies that are produced due to vaccine will decline. However, if the vaccine targets a different virus each year the body will generate an abundance of antibodies ready to attack the virus. Although it is recommended that one receives a flu vaccination to combat the flu virus it should be enough for people to practice good hand washing and mouth covering. The vaccine only protects patients from the most common strain of the virus. The strains of the flu do not change over the course of a couple of years , however, if one does not receive the correct vaccine to protect themselves from a particular strain one year they would still be safe from the other strains ,but susceptible to that one other strain.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-guide-to-the-changing-science-of-flu-shots/

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/preventing.htm

Virus fighter may have played a key role in human evolution

According to a new study , researchers have discovered a virus fighting protein in humans and other primates that triggers an eruption in genetic mutations that may have sped up the evolution of our species.

Way before humans were on this earth viruses have been inserting their genetic material onto the host and tricking the hosts cell into making more of the virus. Overtime of having invasive viruses, our body builds up a natural immunity called retrovirus to counteract and destroy the virus. Also our bodies have mutated this DNA into so called APOBEC proteins that seek out certain combinations of the complimentary bases that make up DNA. These proteins chemically convert the base cytosine to uracil during translation , disrupting the gene.

In 2012, researchers at Cornell University found that certain APOBEC proteins do the same thing in cancer changing the bases causing lots of mutations that further the cells into uncontrolled growth.

But how did this effect human evolution ?

If these mutative APOBEC proteins were active in a sex cell such as sperm or egg, these mutations could possibly affect future generations and could forever alter the course of evolution. All together the researchers found around 40,000 mutations occurring in 10,00 clusters in chimp and human genomes that they think were caused by these proteins. One mutation can change the physically and chemically attributes of a person , being able to control these APOBEC proteins to specifically mutate certain genomes can be terrifying.

Researchers are now calculation what percentage of the genetic changes that mad us human were cause by APOBEC proteins. A newborn is expected 70 new mutations in its genome but just one of these proteins can introduce thousands of them in one generation , speeding up the rate of evolution rapidly.

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/04/virus-fighter-may-have-played-key-role-human-evolution

Study Finds Surprising Benefit of Viral DNA: Fighting Other Viruses

Yet as foreign as viruses may seem, the boundary between them and us is turning out to be remarkably blurry. We use DNA from viruses to do things that are essential to our own survival, scientists are finding. Somehow, we have managed to domesticate some of these invaders.

Endogenous retroviruses first invaded the cells of our primate ancestors more than 50 million years ago. Scientists have identified over 100,000 of these fragments in the human genome, accounting for 8 percent of our

DNA.

To fight invading viruses, a cell needs to turn on many genes at once. The genetic switches that make this possible are stretches of DNA next to each gene, which are themselves activated by proteins.

The scientists edited the DNA of human cells they grew in a dish, chopping out some of the viral switches near interferon-responsive genes. Then they exposed those cells to interferon. The immunity genes, they found, barely woke up.

Original Article:http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/03/science/study-finds-surprising-benefit-of-viral-dna-fighting-other-viruses.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=search&contentPlacement=10&pgtype=sectionfront

Fighting Viruses With Viruses

Study Finds Surprising Benefit of Viral DNA: Fighting Other Viruses

by Carl Zimmer

Have we domesticated viruses? This article from the New Your Times was very enlightening about the history of Viruses and humans. It is stated that viruses start replicating their own DNA once in a host cells, but I already new that much. The incredible thing is that over generations of viral replication, the virus start to lose the ability to burst back out of an infected cell. They become endogenous retroviruses that stay within the host cell, replicating, but unable to escape. It's at this point that the virus's DNA, trapped in close proximity with the DNA of the host cell, co mingle and becomes incorporated into the  DNA of the host cell. It is reported that as much as 8% of all our human DNA is from fragments of viral DNA taken up this way!

If your like me, you'd think having virus DNA incorporated into your own sounds like a bad thing, that the host taking in the fragment of virus DNA into their own would be perpetually sick or die. The weird truth thing is, it a good thing!  According to the article, we have been able to use the viral DNA to help us fight other viruses. They site a British study in which a protein called FV1, which prevents viruses from injecting their DNA into the hosts cells by latching onto the viruses first, was determined to originate from viral DNA.  There are apparently many virus fighting genes in our DNA that we have viruses to thank for. They apparently make it so that our immune system responds to incoming viruses faster and more efficiently, as proven by experiments where they cut out the viral DNA from the cell's DNA, and failed to fight off introduced viruses. 

Viruses that Can Fight Bacteria?!

  Scientists have already studied and tested viruses to eat bacteria, however, targeting specific bacteria is takes time and is costly. According to Timothy Lu from MIT, he and his team have created a new system that can swap genes in order to customize viruses to eat any pathogenic bacteria. Lu says, "These bacteriophages are designed in a way that's relatively modular. You can take genes and swap them in and out and get a functional phage that has new properties."
   One goal of this new system is to assist in killing bacteria that do not have any effective antibiotics. Another is to perhaps assist in other human functions like digestion. In the human digestive tract, there is bacteria to help with digestion but also others causing disease, the they hope to see some "edits" in the bacteria to keep the disease causing bacteria to a minimum so that the use of antibiotics is reduced. Antibiotics can not specify which bacteria are to be removed, resulting in targeting both the friendly and disease causing bacteria.
  For the study, the team chose a bacteriophage T7 that attacks Escherichia coli. The phage is made up of a head and a tail, the tail is what attacks the target. The team substituted genes in the tail of T7 that resulted in a phage that could target a several different types of bacteria.  The team believes they have created a more simple and quick process through this. The researches were able to redesign the tail of T7 by researching new sequences that are similar for the tail of T7. Once the structures were found, swapping them out was not as labor induced as they had thought. They also found that putting the genome into a yeast cell made it easier for the gene-swap.
   The MIT team showed that their study could help changed phages to specifically attack strains of Gram-negative bacteria, which has few antibiotics against it. 
  David Bikard from the Institut Pasteur in Paris says, "This is a big step in the development of phage therapies with predictable outcomes and a good demonstration of what synthetic biology approaches will bring to medicine in the near future."
I think this article was interesting in the fact that we can use viruses, which we all hates, to fight bacteria, another thing we all hate (mostly). I'm looking forward to see what advantages that will bring us in the future and how it can better our health. 

  
Get the Full Article Here
For more on bacteria fighting viruses click here!

Mystery Microbes Among DNA Diversity on NYC Surfaces

A recent study published in Cell Systems found that several organisms on the NYC subway and other places in the city, match no other known organisms. Over a 17 month period, Researchers at Weill Cornell medical college went throughout the city (above and underground) swabbing benches, handrails, poles, and doors. They found that almost half of the DNA they discovered had been completely unknown to science. 

Along with the mysterious DNA, researchers found recognizable DNA such as bacteria and viruses, both being mostly harmless. They also identified small particles of DNA from anthrax and the bubonic plague. Overall they found that only 12% of the thousands of Bacteria and virus samples discovered, were associated with diseases. The most common microorganism found was Pseudomonas studtzeri, a rod-shaped bacterium known for its flexible metabolism that can cause infection in humans.

         The researchers also found that human DNA found in subway stations aligned with the ethnicity of people living in that area. Samples taken in the subway near a neighborhood with high numbers of Hispanic residents, yielded a large amount of Hispanic and Asian genes. Samples from the Brooklyn neighborhoods turned out to host genes specific to British, Tuscan and Finnish heritage. These researchers now say that by understanding the normal population of microorganisms in the city, they now have a baseline to compare new samples against in the case of bioterrorism or a disease outbreak.

I find this study very interesting because of how much researchers can find out about a city just by looking at DNA swabbed from random places. Also, how they found a sample related to the plague was very interesting, (but also a bit scary). 

Original Article

New Study Suggests How Ebola Virus Becomes More Lethal as it Spreads

     Researchers recently conducted a study on Zaire ebolavirus to determine how it becomes more deadly as it is transmitted.  Zaire ebolavirus is the strain of Ebola that is currently prevalent in West Africa.  The study focused on Zaire ebolavirus in animal systems.  The researchers observed that the virus did not start to affect the animal systems until it was repeatedly transmitted from animal to animal.  They also observed that it became more severe as it spread.  As the scientists analyzed Zaire ebolavirus at different stages, they observed that the genetic material present in the virus became progressively altered.  The changes that the genetic material sustained were affiliated with increased disease.  Julian Hiscox, a professor at the University of Liverpool and a leader of the study, stated that the information obtained about the changes the genetic material undergoes after successive transmissions of the virus will aid in the development of new treatment strategies.

     I found the results of the study encouraging.  The scientists were able to identify exactly what parts of the virus are responsible for making it more deadly as it spreads.  It is great to hear that scientists are going to be able to develop new treatment strategies for Ebola.  I hope they will eventually be able to control the spread of the virus so there are no further outbreaks.

Nuclear Pores Concept Understood to Protect Cell From Viruses

Scientists at University College London have uncovered the secrets behind how the structure and function of nuclear pores work. More specifically, they discovered how the nucleus selectively block particular molecules to protect genetic material from being manipulated. This major discovery can now enable scientists to try to manipulate and create new drugs to stop viruses from entering (to infect genetic code).

For years scientists have been trying to figure out how the nuclear pores function, but now, they have the answer. They found out that the proteins that are in the envelope of the membrane are like thick "spaghetti" that in a way move themselves by chemical reaction to react to certain incoming molecules. Big molecules like mRNA enter the nucleus by nucleus transport receptors which act like "chaperones". Nuclear proteins will then tighten and unwind to regulate the stiffness of the nuclear membrane. These nucleus transport receptors basically lubricate the site of entrance to let the mRNA and other big molecules to get into the nucleus at a very fast rate.

The way they found this out was through atomic force microsopy (or AFM for short) to study these pores. It basically scans the surface as the articles says like "braille" to project an image on a screen.
Viruses get their way into the nucleus by tricking these pores, and by learning the genetic code viruses use to get in there, scientists can create special drugs to counter the virus coding from entering.

I found this article interesting because I love revolutionary discoveries that will enhance the survival of the human race and its generic understanding about how the human body functions. I'm guessing that it will not be long until scientists figure out a way for humans to survive ANY nuclear virus that eventually destroys the body.
Original: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141124111819.htm
Supporting Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/02/140225143939.htm

Ancient viruses regenerated from 700-year-old frozen reindeer poop

A new study led by the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) recreates ancient viruses from cryogenically preserved materials, using modern techniques in the field of molecular genetics. Now one may wonder what purpose do viruses 700 years old have on us? Well as the earth gets slightly warmer every year will global warming resurrect old, infectious viruses? Viruses preserved in ancient samples provide valuable information about viral diversity from long ago. These viruses help us trace the evolution of today’s species and study their biology. Recreating these viruses was not an easy task since concentrations of genetic information are low in ancient specimens and most have been tremendously degraded.

                                 

In the study researchers managed to regenerate two sufficiently well-preserved ancient viruses from reindeer poop that has been preserved for 700 years in a subarctic ice patch in northern Canada. The method used to resurrect the ancient viruses was called "viral particle-associated nucleic acid enrichment." From the two viruses the team was able to recover and characterize a small circular DNA viral genome, ancient caribou feces associated virus (aCFV) and a partial RNA viral genome, Ancient Northwest Territories cripavirus (NCV). Then using "reverse genetics," they reconstituted one of the viruses and showed how it was able to spread and reproduce in a living plant.

Under frozen conditions, "encapsidated viral nucleic acids" can survive for centuries, providing enough material to allow molecular genetics to regenerate viruses to study their biology. So the question arises as to whether or not dormant, potentially infectious pathogens can emerge if global warming melts enough ice and permafrost. There are controversy regarding the importance of this kind of research. As one professor states, "old viruses could only re-emerge if they have significant advantages over the countless perfect viruses we have at present". In many ways he has a good point, should we really be worrying about the countless of diseases that have plagued the country in the past when we cannot even solve the mysteries behind the diseases that are killing people today. I do find it fascinating to think that we can reconstruct viruses that are over 700 years old. I also find that such action may be dangerous because recreating it does not necessarily mean that we can find a cure for it. Although such research is amazing with our technological advances I believe that trying to regenerate all these countless viruses that have a slight chance of spreading due to global warming is near impossible. Rather the main focus should be dealing with the viruses that continue to claim the lives of thousands every day.

Article: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/284582.php

Viruses and Diversity

Viruses are known to range in severity, and an experiment in mice was conducted to find out more about them. More specifically, five genetically identical mice were infected with a virus that was much more virulent than when the same virus infected five genetically diverse mice one at a time. One reason for this is that the virus wasn't able to adapt to the different genetic makeups of the different mice, and therefore was less effective. However, this has only been able to be experimentally proven with mice, plants, and insects. Research in this field was done by biologists Jason Kubinak and Wayne Potts.

Since viruses tend to be less virulent in a more diverse population, researchers encourage the diversification of cattle to lessen the probability of disease spreading. Potts and Kubinak use their study to show that the "sex-against virulence hypothesis." This hypothesis states that sexual reproduction evolved in order to increase genetic diversity, which in turn decreased the chance of viral infection.Therefore, the group of mice that had the same genetic makeup showed what would happen if mice reproduced asexually, and this reiterates the importance of diversification as an effect of sexual reproduction. Sexual reproduction enables organisms to gain resistance to viruses and diseases that they may have be vulnerable to otherwise. In the experiment, the virus used is mouse leukemia combined with a virus that causes a drastic increase in the number of red blood cells. Together, the virus is called the "Friend virus complex." The red blood cell count is increased in the spleen, and the more there are, the more likely the spleen will be inflamed, endangering the mouse's life. With the help of this combination of viruses, a virus in the spleen is able to replicate itself.


To start, a healthy mouse was injected with infected spleen tissue from another mouse. The previously healthy mouse was tested for how well it was fitted to the virus (i.e. if it allowed the virus to replicate easily). This was done by weighing the spleen because an enlargement of the spleen yields a more harmful virus.

Although there has been no experimental proof of this in other vertebrates, plants and insects have shown that genetic similarity allows a virus to adapt to a host more efficiently, and thus become more detrimental. Being able to replicate itself faster is lethal to the organism, as well as the rest of the organisms with its identical genetic makeup.

Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141118072528.htm
Supporting Article: http://www2.estrellamountain.edu/faculty/farabee/BIOBK/biobookdiversity_1.html

The Ancient Roots of Ebola

   New research has shown that the family of viruses to which Ebola and its lethal relative Marburg belong to, called filoviruses, are at least 16-23 million years old. Filoviruses have apparently been interacting with mammals for several million years. Knowledge of both of these viruses and their ancient roots and evolution could lead to the development of vaccines and programs that identify emerging pathogens. 

To study the evolution of viruses, the research team at UB, including Jeremy Bruenn, looked at viral "fossil genes", which are chunks of genetic material that animals and other organisms accept from viruses during infection. Scientists have found traces of filovirus-like genes in rodents. One of the genes, called VP35, appeared in the same spot in the genomes of multiple rodent species, meaning the material was likely acquired before rodents evolved into distinct species 16-23 million years ago.

These new findings could help greatly in the disease prevention effort. The first Ebola outbreak occurred in 1976, but scientists know little about it. Understanding the virus's ancient roots can help create a vaccine. Also, knowing more about filoviruses in general may provide insight into which host species might contain undiscovered pathogens related to Ebola. Essentially, the more scientists know about the evolution of filovirus-host interactions, the more can be discovered about who might be involved in the system.


Article: http://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2014/10/041.html

Related Article: http://www.techtimes.com/articles/18839/20141027/ebolas-ancient-roots-dig-deep-disease-goes-back-more-than-20-million-years.htm

Neanderthal Viruses Found in Modern Humans

Researchers at Oxford University and Plymouth University are tracking the genetic data from Neanderthals and Denisovans to the modern-day cancer patient to find evidence of viruses in the DNA. This virus could have originated in our DNA half a million years ago. This could further the investigation of  links between ancient viruses and diseases like HIV and cancer. Around 8 % of the DNA is made of endogenous retroviruses. This part of the 90% of DNA has no known function and is called “junk” DNA. They don’t believe this is junk, though in some cases two junk viruses can combine and cause disease.  

They are now looking into the HML2 family of viruses, for links to cancer and HIV.  HML2 is related to how fast AIDS will progress. Some of the risk factors are genetic and may be shared with HML2. They expect that there is no negative effect of all these viruses in the Modern population and they are spread throughout the world. They believe that viruses that are inactive indicate that they increase mortality by increased cancer risk. 

By learning about the past we have found many things  we have to change. If we can learn about the ancient virus to save millions from HIV and cancer it could make the world a better place, but for any solution we provide, a new challenge will appear. 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131119230442.htm

http://www.ox.ac.uk/media/news_stories/2013/131119.html

 

Genetic Regulators hijacked by Avian and Swine Flu Viruses Identified

Researchers at the University of British Columbia have identified a number of tiny but powerful "genetic regulators" that are hijacked by avian and swine flu viruses during human infection. This study is the first to compare the role played by human microRNAs in the life cycle of two viruses of continued concern to public health officials around the world. The discovery was of two largely distinct sets of microRNAs involved in swine-origin H1N1 virus and the avian-origin H7N7 strain. Francois Jean, Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Scientific Director of the Facility for Infectious Disease and Epidemic Research at UBC, says that their discovery points to a new level of cross-communication between viruses and the human cells in which they reproduce. Jean also believes that this discovery of the unique microRNA signatures will assist in developing antiviral treatments that don't run the risk of increasing drug resistance and help us develop novel antiviral treatments.