Discovery Could Lead to New Drugs to Block Deadly Viruses
March 25, 2013
U.S. researchers have discovered a class of potent chemical compounds that could stop a host of viruses in their tracks, including the deadly Marburg and Ebola viruses and pathogens that cause rabies, mumps and measles. Drugs made from the compounds would stop infection by interfering with a virus’ ability to reproduce itself inside human cells.
Viruses are strange things. Though there is some scientific question about whether viruses are alive or not, they do have a basic genetic structure that allows them to be biologically active. But they don't have the built-in reproductive capacity of bacteria -- tiny, living organisms which, once they have infected a human host, can make copies of themselves using their own DNA.
John Connor, a virologist at Boston University in Massachusetts, explains that in order for viruses to reproduce and become a disease threat, they must first hijack the genetic machinery of a living cell:
“They’re parasites," said Connor. "They get inside our cells and use a lot of our machinery in order to make extra copies of themselves. And so that poses a really delicate question of how do you destroy the virus without getting yourself.”
Connor and his colleagues screened thousands of chemical compounds, looking for ones that showed strong antiviral activity.
最新
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25