Princeton Hepatitis E Study (IMAGE)
Caption
Researchers at Princeton and Rutgers universities have found that the hepatitis E virus -- an emerging liver virus historically found in developing countries but now on the rise in Europe -- uses a technique to spread infection that scientists could in fact exploit to treat the disease. The researchers found that, when in an infected cell (above), the hepatitis E virus pokes holes in a host cell's membrane by producing a protein known as viroporin (green dots). The holes act as ion channels that eventually cause the infected cell to burst, releasing new hepatitis E viruses that can infect more cells. The researchers suggest that curtailing the virus' ability to produce viroporins may prevent it from being able to attack other cells.
Credit
Alexander Ploss
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Credit Alexander Ploss
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