BioQuakes

AP Biology class blog for discussing current research in Biology

Tag: Ebola

Learn From the Greeks: The “Trojan Horse” Method to Cure Ebola

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On October 16, 2017

In Student Post

The study to find a cure for the dangerous virus Ebola has resulted in a promising new find: a new strategy has shown positive results.  This new technique involves the placement of antibodies into the cell with the Ebola virus and then it binds to the NPC1 protein before the virus can, essentially rendering it useless.

To understand exactly how these special rainbow unicorn antibodies work, it is essential if we know how the Ebola virus spreads.  The different strains of the Ebola virus (Sudan, Zaire, Tai Forest, Bundibugyo, and Reston) are genetically a little different but they do the same thing.  The virus enters the cell through glycoproteins and gets engulfed into a lysosome. Once inside a lysosome, the virus transforms into a new state where it can bind to a human protein called NPC1.  Once bound to this protein the virus can eject its information into the cytoplasm of the cell and spread.

The solution lies in the binding of the special antibody.  The antibody ZMapp can effectively destroy the Ebola virus, but it is only effective on the Zaire strain. The other strains of Ebola are a little genetically different that the ZMapp antibody does not detect the other strains. Thus, a different approach is required to fight the virus.  The virus can be stopped if an antibody is able to enter the cell with the virus and either bind to the NPC1 protein before the virus does or bind to the virus to disable its ability to bind to anything else.

When the Ebola virus is in a cell’s lysosome it structurally alters itself to enable it to bind with the NPC1, and an advantage that scientists have discovered is that between the different strains of Ebola virus, the transformed versions are very similar, thus an antibody can be made that can bind to all of the different strains.  The problem with this, however, is that antibodies cannot enter the cell the same way that viruses can.

Ebola Virus

The solution that the researchers came up with stems back to the Trojan Horse story from Ancient Greece. The researchers added an extra arm to the antibody, enabling it to latch onto the virus and hitch a ride with it into the lysosome.  Once in the lysosome with the virus, the virus alters and the antibody can then bind again and disable the virus.  This method can potentially be a cure for all of the strains of the Ebola virus, causing an end to a very dangerous virus.

The Continued Spread of Ebola

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On October 19, 2014

In Student Post

 

Ebola_virus_em

The most recent epidemic that is spreading through Africa is Ebola. It has taken the lives of over a thousand people, but it could get much worse. Without proper isolation and treatment of the infection scientists predict the number of infected individuals could increase to more than 20,000 in just six weeks. Some scientists are even predicting more than a million deaths due to Ebola if  treatment and containment is not improved. Ebola is generally transmitted from animals to humans, who then pass the virus t each other by contact. Symptoms generally include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headaches and a sore throat, which is then followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, and finally impaired kidney and liver function. The fatality rage for this contagion is about 70%. As of right now there is no vaccine for this virus, and the best way to stop the spread of it is to simply isolate those experiencing symptoms. This virus is currently being closely monitored as it is unknown whether the situation in Africa will get worse, and begin to spread to other countries, infecting people by the thousands. Hopefully scientists are able to discover a vaccine that will halt the spread of this deadly virus, saving the lives of thousands of individuals

The Ebola Epidemic: When Will it End?

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On September 25, 2014

In Student Post

Ebola Virus

The Ebola epidemic in West Africa has captivated international audiences the last few weeks.  Ebola Virus Disease is an often fatal disease which is systemic meaning it attacks all organs and tissue in the body. It can be spread through any human to human contact, making this disease highly contagious. The countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea have been heavily affected by this disease. On tuesday September 23th the Center for Disease Control (CDC) based in Atlanta Georgia released new projections on the Ebola epidemic in Africa based on computer modeling.  The CDC released a best-case scenario being that if proper measures are taken the disease could be eradicated by January 2nd and a worse-case scenario that if disease is left unmonitored and continues as is, there will be approximately 1.4 million cases by January 2nd.   Doctor Thomas R. Frieden, the director of the Ebola epidemic, has stated that since the data was received in August conditions have improved slightly due to increased aid to the affected regions. Another report was released by the World Health Organization (WHO) which stated more conservative figures but also acknowledged that there could possibly be more due to unreported cases. The WHO report brings about the idea that the epidemic may not end and the Ebola virus will perpetuate in West Africa. It is obvious to health officials, such as Dr. Jack Chow, that even in a medium case scenario the amount of hospital beds and aid are rapidly being surpassed by the number of cases. The CDC does acknowledge this impending lack of bed and isolation unit crisis. One solution to this problem is to educate citizens on home care and send home care packages to support this movement.  Although some are dubious, Frieden states that home care had been effective in the smallpox crisis in the 1960s in Africa.  In addition to homecare, Doctor D. A. Henderson explains that funds and food play a huge roll in the containment and elimination of disease because when you give victims money and food there is no need for them to beg or go out to the market for food where they might encounter other human contact. How should this epidemic be handled? Is homecare an effective solution? Where should money be allocated, homecare or hospital expansion?

 

Link to Article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/24/health/ebola-cases-could-reach-14-million-in-4-months-cdc-estimates.html?ref=health&_r=1

 

Protein Structure May Lead to Cure for Ebola

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On September 21, 2014

In Student Post

For those who haven’t been keeping up with the latest in viral outbreaks, Ebola has been spreading throughout West Africa and has already taken the lives of 2,600 people since the outbreak in March 2014.  According to the World Health Organization , there are currently no certified vaccines or treatments for Ebola but a new breakthrough may have answers to developing a cure or vaccine for the deadly disease

Scientists at the University of Virginia have gotten their hands on a crystalized structure of the Ebola Nucleoprotein C-Terminal domain, which is an important protein used in replicating the virus.  The tertiary fold of the C-terminal is “unique in the RNA virus world,” claims structural biologist Dr. Zygmunt Derewenda, and this unique fold could ultimately lead to the foundation of drugs to prevent further infections.

The team was able to produce the protein by using E Coli as the protein factory.  So far, the protein demonstrates traits that are extremely unique and unlike other known proteins.  Evidence thus far has shown that the viral nucleoapsid is self assembled by the domain.  Insights and new research that the UVA team is conducting is paving the way to an Ebola anti-viral drug.

 

Ebola Virus Particles

 

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