Inhibition Of Interferon-?/? Induction By Ross River Virus
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$589,664.00
Summary
Ross River virus is a mosquito-borne virus that causes arthritis in the joints of many people infected. This project will look at the early interactions of a virulent virus with the mammalian host that appear to enable the virus to replicate and spread in the host and thereby cause disease. These interactions are with the host interferon protein which the virus has developed the ability to inhibit. The effect of the invading virus on the host's interferon system, part of the immune system, will ....Ross River virus is a mosquito-borne virus that causes arthritis in the joints of many people infected. This project will look at the early interactions of a virulent virus with the mammalian host that appear to enable the virus to replicate and spread in the host and thereby cause disease. These interactions are with the host interferon protein which the virus has developed the ability to inhibit. The effect of the invading virus on the host's interferon system, part of the immune system, will be examined.Read moreRead less
Discovery Of A Novel Immune Evasion Strategy Employed By Mosquito Borne Viruses To Suppress Antiviral Immune Responses
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$418,642.00
Summary
The transition from mosquitoes, ticks, or other invertebrate vectors to the human hosts represents a crucial step in the successful establishment of arthropod borne viruses (arboviruses). The incidence of arbovirus infections such as dengue virus, West Nile virus, Ross River virus is increasing at an alarming rate in various parts of the world. In addition, the emergence of new viruses resulting in significant mortality in the population is of utmost concern. Vaccines for many of these viruses r ....The transition from mosquitoes, ticks, or other invertebrate vectors to the human hosts represents a crucial step in the successful establishment of arthropod borne viruses (arboviruses). The incidence of arbovirus infections such as dengue virus, West Nile virus, Ross River virus is increasing at an alarming rate in various parts of the world. In addition, the emergence of new viruses resulting in significant mortality in the population is of utmost concern. Vaccines for many of these viruses remain elusive. One factor that contributes to this is the ability of viruses to develop ingenious strategies to avoid or suppress the host defence systems, which enable its successful establishment in the host. Understanding how viruses evade-suppress host defence machinery will certainly enhance and improve our approaches to fight them. For the first time internationally we have discovered a new and novel pathway employed by arboviruses to suppress antiviral immune responses in the host. We have discovered that naturally occurring carbohydrates on viruses derived from mosquito cells, would influence these virus s ability to evade-suppress host antiviral proteins such as interferons. This may be a general effect of arboviruses or may even extend to other viruses , which include a number of deadly pathogens (HIV, Influenza). This research has the potential to significantly expand our understanding of how these viruses establish infection and cause disease. Also this discovery has broader implications for understanding inflammatory processes and their regulation.Read moreRead less