Scientists at Rutgers University have developed a vaccine to protect DNA from viruses. Research published Cell Report Methods.
By treating the virus with sentanamycin, the scientists obtained attenuated strains of mouse cytomegalovirus. As a result, the virus has been modified to lose its ability to replicate within the host cell.
The researchers say that when animals are injected with attenuated viral particles, they stimulate the host’s immune system to find and destroy the pathogenic viral particles. This method targets DNA viruses (cytomegalovirus, chickenpox, and herpes simplex) that replicate by making copies of their DNA molecules. This approach has been shown to be safe and effective in suppressing viral infections in laboratory animals.
About 50% of adults worldwide are infected with cytomegalovirus. Infection can have serious consequences in immunocompromised patients, including after organ transplantation. The team hopes to eventually test a method of treating cytomegalovirus and other DNA viral infections in humans.
Source: Gazeta
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