king hepatitis C virus
Nature Immunology
November 18, 2013
The mechanism by which variations in the genetic sequence near the gene encoding human interferon lambda (IFNL) are associated with clearance of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is revealed in a report published online this week in Nature Immunology.
Ram Savan and colleagues found that one particular genetic variant produces more stable IFN-lambda messenger RNA and this leads to increased production of this anti-viral factor. The authors also find HCV tries to ‘escape’ the immune response by aiding in IFN-lambda degradation. Again, the ‘protective’ IFN-lambda variant is more resistant to this degradation process.
The identification of this resistant IFN-lambda variant may explain why certain patients successfully clear HCV following drug treatment whereas a significant minority remain chronically infected.
doi: 10.1038/ni.2758
Research highlights
-
Jul 30
Genetics: ENCODE expands the encyclopaedia of regulatory elementsNature
-
Jul 24
Drug repurposing: Large-scale screen reveals potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugsNature
-
Jul 23
Genomics: Six genomes provide clues to bats’ exceptional adaptationsNature
-
Jul 23
Biotechnology: A safer, rapid assay for studying SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodiesNature Biotechnology
-
Jun 30
Biotechnology: Bioengineered scaffold repairs uterus and supports live births in rabbitsNature Biotechnology
-
Jun 24
Cancer: A 'fasting mimicking' diet may aid chemotherapyNature Communications
