StemCell Therapy

Researchers at UT Southwestern have helped identify a human protein they say inhibits the coronavirus.

The protein LY6E is produced naturally by the human immune system, and the researchers say it impairs the ability of several coronaviruses to initiate infection, including the one fueling the current COVID-19 outbreak.

This protein seems to be able to stop the ability of the virus to ... [cause infection], or at least hinder it pretty significantly, said Dr. John Schoggins, associate professor in UT Southwesterns microbiology department.

The group which also includes researchers from New York and Switzerland detailed their findings in a report published Saturday, but the report has yet to be peer-reviewed.

Schoggins first researched the protein several years ago in a lab in New York. At the time, he discovered that LY6E enhanced influenza infection.

Another researcher at the lab used Schoggins screening technology in 2017 and determined LY6E inhibited coronavirus infection.

The team of scientists had worked for years on its study of the protein before the current outbreak, Schoggins said.

As the new coronavirus spread in Wuhan, China, and beyond, researchers in Switzerland worked to figure out whether the protein was effective against it, he said. They determined it was.

Meanwhile, UT Southwestern researchers examined the protein in mice and determined they are more susceptible to coronavirus when their cells lack the protein.

Schoggins noted however that coronavirus in mice is different from coronavirus in humans. The illness infects the liver in mice, causing hepatitis. Meanwhile, coronavirus causes a respiratory illness in humans.

In spite of those differences, its widely accepted as a model for understanding basic concepts of coronavirus replication and immune responses in a living animal, Schoggins said in a written statement. Our study brings new insight into how critical these antiviral genes are for controlling viral infection and mounting proper immune responses against the virus.

He cautioned that the researchers arent claiming to have found a cure for the virus. The work is simply focused on how a naturally occurring protein interacts with the virus.

The team will need more time to see whether the information can be used to advance therapeutic options for COVID-19.

This is sort of natures antiviral defense system, he said of the LY6E protein. We figured out how nature figured out how to inhibit these viruses. Can we do something as scientists to do the same thing?

He added that its still not certain whether the protein has helped infected people recover during the current outbreak. But he noted that the majority of people survive the illness.

Its key for the public to remember that, in general, our immune systems handle viruses pretty well," he said. "It remains to be seen if in humans our protein contributes to that. But at least in the mouse, the datas very clear that the immune system is very reliant on this ... protein to control the mouse coronavirus.

See the article here:
UT Southwestern researchers help identify human protein that inhibits coronavirus - The Dallas Morning News

This entry was posted on March 9, 2020 at 7:49 pm and is filed under Immune System. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |