by Scientists at Texas Biomedical Research Institute have made a groundbreaking discovery regarding the spread of the Ebola virus within the human body. Their findings, published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, reveal that the virus creates and utilizes intercellular tunnels known as tunneling nanotubes to move from cell to cell, evading treatments in the process.
Dr. Olena Shtanko, an Assistant Professor at Texas Biomed and the senior paper author, explains that the virus can create a hiding place within these tunnels, allowing it to move to new cells and replicate. This new understanding challenges the previously held belief that the virus simply infects a cell, replicates, and then releases new virus particles to infect neighboring cells.
The tunneling nanotubes, which are dynamic connections between cells, facilitate communication and the exchange of particles over relatively long distances, up to 200 microns. While these structures have been studied in relation to neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, HIV-1, and influenza, this is the first investigation into their role in disseminating the Ebola virus.
Using cutting-edge technology such as live scanning electron and high-resolution 3D microscopy, Dr. Shtanko and her team observed that Ebola virus infection in cells increased the formation of tunneling nanotubes containing viral particles. These nanotubes then facilitated the transfer of the particles to other cells. Surprisingly, full virus particles were not necessary for the formation of these nanotubes; only small sections of the virus coding for individual proteins were required.
Even in the presence of treatments designed to stop the Ebola virus, the infection was found to spread via the tunneling nanotubes. This poses a significant challenge for the development of effective drugs and therapies to combat the virus.
Dr. Shtanko plans to further investigate how exactly the Ebola virus particles are transported through the tunneling nanotubes. Advanced technologies such as laser microdissection, mass spectrometry, and low-abundance RNA sequencing will be utilized to find answers. Additionally, the research team intends to explore if related viruses, including the deadly Sudan and Marburg viruses, exploit the same mechanism to spread infection.
In collaboration with Professor Ricardo Carrion, Jr., the team will analyze tissues from animal models to identify virus-containing nanotubes. This research has far-reaching implications for our understanding of the Ebola virus and may lead to the development of targeted treatments that can disrupt its spread through intercellular tunnels.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
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