Ebola virus, recognized as one of the most lethal pathogens, poses a significant global health threat with a fatality rate of approximately 50%. In response to this challenge, researchers at the University of Minnesota and the Midwest Antiviral Drug Discovery (AViDD) Center have achieved a groundbreaking advancement by developing the first nanobody-based inhibitors targeting Ebola.
Nanobodies are miniature antibodies derived from animals such as alpacas. Their compact size enables them to access areas within the virus and human tissues that larger antibodies cannot reach.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, this innovative team created nine nanobodies to combat the virus. Building on this success, they have introduced two new nanobody inhibitors for Ebola: Nanosota-EB1 and Nanosota-EB2.
These nanobodies employ distinct mechanisms to neutralize the Ebola virus.
- Nanosota-EB1 prevents the virus from exposing the structure it uses to attach to human cells, effectively blocking infection.
- Nanosota-EB2 targets the component responsible for enabling the virus to enter cells, halting its spread.
In laboratory tests, Nanosota-EB2 demonstrated remarkable effectiveness, significantly improving survival rates in Ebola-infected mice.
This innovation also holds promise for developing treatments for related viruses, such as the Sudan and Marburg viruses. The adaptability of these nanobodies is attributed to a novel design method recently created by the research team.
The study, published in PLOS Pathogens, was led by Dr. Fang Li, co-director of the Midwest AViDD Center and a professor of Pharmacology. The collaborative research team included members from the University of Minnesota, Hormel Institute, and Boston University. Funding was provided by NIH grant U19AI171954.
This groundbreaking research represents a crucial step toward improving treatments for deadly viral infections and enhancing global health preparedness.
Journal Reference:
Fan Bu et al. "Discovery of Nanosota-EB1 and -EB2 as Novel Nanobody Inhibitors Against Ebola Virus Infection." PLOS Pathogens, 2024; DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012817
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