Two Perelman School of Medicine microbiologists may have found a way to use statins, the well-known blockbuster cholesterol-lowering drugs, to fight the hantavirus, a mysterious and lethal microorganism that appeared suddenly in the US southwest over 20 years ago. That first
outbreak led to the deaths of more than a dozen people, most of them in their prime. The last reported outbreak happened in Yellowstone Park in 2012.
Only about 30 known human cases of hantavirus are reported in the US each year. The respiratory syndrome caused by a hantavirus infection comes from breathing in small viral particles in the excrement of infected rodents. It starts out with flu-like symptoms that quickly deteriorate into a dangerous form of adult respiratory distress syndrome. It is among the most deadly known human viruses: 30 percent to 40 percent of people who are diagnosed die from hantavirus pulmonary
fever.
A PLOS Pathogens paper by Penn microbiologists Paul Bates,
PhD, and Kenneth Briley, PhD, published this month reports that four
proteins key to cholesterol synthesis and uptake are highjacked by the
hantavirus to enter human host cells. To identify host-cell genes needed
for viral replication, Bates and Briley first used a less dangerous
virus that was engineered to exhibit some characteristics of a member of
the hantavirus group found in South America called Andes virus (ANDV).
Although the molecular details are still being deciphered, it appears
that adequate cellular cholesterol levels are needed to transport the
virus into the cell.
outbreak led to the deaths of more than a dozen people, most of them in their prime. The last reported outbreak happened in Yellowstone Park in 2012.
Only about 30 known human cases of hantavirus are reported in the US each year. The respiratory syndrome caused by a hantavirus infection comes from breathing in small viral particles in the excrement of infected rodents. It starts out with flu-like symptoms that quickly deteriorate into a dangerous form of adult respiratory distress syndrome. It is among the most deadly known human viruses: 30 percent to 40 percent of people who are diagnosed die from hantavirus pulmonary
fever.
A PLOS Pathogens paper by Penn microbiologists Paul Bates,
PhD, and Kenneth Briley, PhD, published this month reports that four
proteins key to cholesterol synthesis and uptake are highjacked by the
hantavirus to enter human host cells. To identify host-cell genes needed
for viral replication, Bates and Briley first used a less dangerous
virus that was engineered to exhibit some characteristics of a member of
the hantavirus group found in South America called Andes virus (ANDV).
Although the molecular details are still being deciphered, it appears
that adequate cellular cholesterol levels are needed to transport the
virus into the cell.
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