American researchers have discovered a gene in mice and monkeys that blocks one of its mutations against dangerous viruses like HIV and Ebola. Researchers and scientists at the University of Utah Health and Rockefeller University stated that the gene RetroCHMP3 encodes a protein that disables the ability of certain viruses to exit an infected cell, preventing them from continuing to infect other cells.
Viruses typically envelop themselves with cell membranes and then exit by budding from the host cell. RetroCHMP3 delays this process long enough that the virus cannot escape. Using genetic tools, the researchers were able to obtain a modified version of the human RetroCHMP3 gene, and after infecting cells with the HIV virus, they discovered that the virus had difficulty detaching from the infected cell, indicating that the modified gene version succeeded in preventing the virus from replicating, without disrupting metabolic signals or cell functions that could cause cell death, according to the study published in Cell.
Commenting on the study results, researcher Dr. Nils Eldy said, "We were surprised to see a slowdown in cellular biology that prevents viral replication." He added, "Certain viruses like HIV and Ebola have a weakness in the RetroCHMP3 gene. We hope to utilize this discovery in the future to combat viral diseases."
