Rare Gene Mutation Gives Virus Immunity
(MENAFN) A groundbreaking study recently featured in Science Translational Medicine and reported by Science Alert has brought attention to a rare genetic mutation that could potentially lead to near-complete immunity against viruses.
Scientists have managed to replicate this mutation in lab animals, sparking optimism about future antiviral therapies.
The mutation involves a deficiency in a gene known as interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15). This rare anomaly appears to grant individuals exceptional resistance to viral infections.
Though those with this deficiency often experience low-level chronic inflammation, their bodies maintain a constant state of antiviral readiness.
Despite contact with common viruses such as influenza, measles, and chickenpox, they typically exhibit only minor symptoms.
"In the back of my mind, I kept thinking that if we could produce this type of light immune activation in other people, we could protect them from just about any virus," said Columbia University immunologist Dusan Bogunovic, who initially identified the phenomenon over a decade ago.
Bogunovic and his team employed technology akin to that used in mRNA vaccines to induce a short-term ISG15 deficiency in laboratory mice and hamsters.
This temporary change triggered the animals to produce ten crucial proteins known for their antiviral capabilities, effectively stopping infections at various stages of development.
When later exposed to SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, the proteins in these treated animals significantly restricted the infection.
Notably, this defense mechanism operated without impairing the animals’ broader immune responses.
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