Virologist Eric Snijder with a series of culture dishes for research into the response of living cells to the virus. (photo LUMC).
Two research groups at LUMC have cleverly used the electron microscope to unravel how coronaviruses multiply in our body and then spread further. An important discovery, which was published tonight in the international top magazine Science.
The finding does little to change current discussions about mouth masks, a meter and a half and rapid detection of infections. In the longer term, however, it can become extremely important, because it offers clues for new virus inhibitors. And if they are developed, future outbreaks of coronaviruses can be better controlled.
Safe booth
Since the first SARS outbreak in 2003, LUMC virologists and colleagues from the cell and chemical biology department have been trying to understand the tricks of coronavirus. This is done under the supervision of Prof. Eric Snijder and Dr. Montserrat Bárcena. Using special electron microscopes, they try to find out at molecular level how these viruses multiply in our body – and what damage they cause.
In previous research they showed that coronaviruses grow infected cells in such a way that they form a kind of vesicles in which they can copy their own hereditary code. In those vesicles, the virus can also hide against immune responses from our immune system.
In order to spread further into our body, the virus must also emerge from that safe box once. Until now, exactly how that happened was unknown. But now the Leiden researchers have found a small molecular channel that offers that way out.
In our program De Viruszomer last Tuesday virologist Eric Snijder already explained this. However, he was not yet allowed to say that this find had received international recognition through the publication in Science. Because it has only been officially announced since tonight. The full broadcast is here listen back.
To block
The find is scientifically important, but it is also big news because it can offer clues for the development of new virus inhibitors. Because if you manage to block that channel, you have the virus in your pliers. That may work for all coronaviruses. However, Snijder warns that the search for the right means to block the channel found may take years.
More studies are underway into medications that can target coronaviruses after infection. If the current pandemic remains active until 2021, and new vaccines do not yet offer worldwide protection, it is quite possible that one of the new virus inhibitors could be brought into action.
Hospitals now only have the very expensive remdesivir, which was actually developed against Ebola. It is given by infusion to Covid patients with severe pneumonia and it does provide some relief. But it is certainly not a miracle cure. A virus inhibitor specially developed against coronaviruses would therefore be a great solution – certainly in defense against future outbreaks of new coronaviruses.
The research for this article and the program De Viruszomer was made possible by the Leids Mediafonds
–
Leiden Science The virus relay de viruszomer
–
