Scientists found the 'Achilles heel' of the Ebola virus

US scientists claim to have found the Ebola "Achilles heel", opening new hopes for developing a specific vaccine to prevent dangerous diseases that have claimed thousands of lives.

New hope for development  vaccines prevent Ebola virus

In their study, scientists at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine at Yeshiva University and the US Military Research Institute for Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), found that Ebola virus could be "disabled." " by limiting NPC1 protein found in human cells.

Medical staff injects Ebola vaccine for a Monrovia woman.(Source: Reuters)

Previous studies have shown that Ebola virus infects human cells by attaching to NPC1, a protein that functions to circulate cholesterol inside cells. However, the likelihood of an infected person being infected with Ebola virus will be reduced if this deadly virus blocks the NPC1 protein.

To demonstrate this, experts conducted experiments with three types of mice infected with Ebola virus but differed in the level of NPC1 protein, including mice that were unaffected by mice, were completely removed from the NPC1. and mice with both the normal and genetically modified NPC1 gene NPC1. The results showed that mice without gene interference died after nine days of infection, the second mouse completely immune to the spread of the Ebola virus.

Meanwhile, the third mouse was recorded with high levels of Ebola virus in the early stages, but this amount decreased rapidly due to the immune system's resistance to the virus.

According to Andrew Herbert, USAMRIID's Immunologist and a member of the research team, identifying NPC1 is a key factor in helping Ebola-infected individuals survive. He suggested that the Ebola virus replication process could be prevented if NPC1 was broken.

Meanwhile, USAMRIID's head of immunology, John Dye, and co-head of the science group, said the key to the Ebola infection is the immune system's response. human body disease and Ebola virus. The patient will resist this deadly virus if the amount of Ebola virus is controlled.

Currently, there are no approved Ebola treatments in the US and the currently studied therapies only stop at attacking Ebola virus. Therefore, the restriction of NPC1 protein is the first method of treatment on the body of people infected with Ebola.

The study was published in the journal The American Society's "mBio" for Microbiology published on May 26.