A gene has been discovered that in monkeys and mice manages to trap dangerous viruses such as HIV and Ebola, preventing them from escaping from the cell to infect others: it is called retroCHMP3 and opens new horizons of research for the development of effective therapies also in humans.
This is suggested by the study published in the journal Cell by a team of American researchers coordinated by geneticist Nels Elde of the University of Utah.
The retroCHMP3 antiviral gene arises as a 'duplicate' of the CHMP3 gene, also present in humans and known for its crucial role in maintaining cell membrane integrity, in communication between cells and in their division. Viruses such as HIV are able to hack this system in order to exit the cell and spread the infection to the others: retroCHMP3, on the other hand, produces an altered protein that blocks them.
Based on this observation, some researchers have tried to modify and shorten the CHMP3 gene in human cells to achieve the same result, but although they have succeeded in stopping the HIV virus, they have also resulted in cell death.
To overcome this difficulty, Elde and his team thought of inducing human cells to produce a variant of the retroCHMP3 gene naturally present in squirrel monkeys: in this way they were able to block the HIV virus without interfering with important metabolic functions necessary for the survival of the squirrel. cells.
“Looking ahead, we hope to learn from this lesson and use it to fight viral diseases,” comments Elde.