What is it about?
We are equipped with multiple different ways of defending ourselves against viral infection, using different cells and molecules, different pathways of activation and different anti-viral effector mechanisms. But viruses have evolved 100s of ways of avoiding these diverse immune activities, many of which have not yet been discovered. We have been looking at how the Hepatitis C virus can block cytokine signalling thus blunting important anti viral immune mechanisms.
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Photo by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases on Unsplash
Why is it important?
We have found that the hepatitis C virus induces SOCS which in turn blunts the activity of TNF, an inflammatory cytokine which plays an important role in innate anti-viral immunity. This helps us understand how HCV avoids clearance by the innate immune system and become a chronic infection. Ironically this discovery might be also useful in research for new anti-inflammatory therapies.
Perspectives
It's fascinating to be involved in research that makes basic discoveries about how viruses work. Most of them have tiny genomes and yet they have a multiplicity of ways of manipulating the immune systems. Understanding and harnessing this power could revolutionise immunotherapy discovery.
Cliona O'Farrelly
Trinity College Dublin
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The hepatitis C virus (HCV) protein, p7, suppresses inflammatory responses to tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α via signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)3 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)–mediated induction of suppressor of..., The FASEB Journal, June 2019, Federation of American Societies For Experimental Biology (FASEB),
DOI: 10.1096/fj.201800629rr.
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