Biologists discover new bodily defense pathways in fight against flu, anthrax

Biologists from the University of California San Diego have made headway in new flu and anthrax treatments through two separate studies focused on bodily defense.

Experiments in both cases unveiled new mechanisms the body uses to defend itself, working their way up from fruit flies. The results of both studies were published in PLOS Pathogens.

“This study started with experiments in fruit flies, which helped us to identify new molecular pathways affected by these toxins,” Annabel Guichard, co-author of the anthrax study, said. “It is striking to see how many pathological processes are conserved all the way from insects to humans.”

In her study, molecular inhibitors that control the protein-disrupting effects of anthrax poisonings and cholera infections were found and eventually tested on mice with positive results. Those results could in turn help researchers save people from blood loss-induced shock and acute diarrhea–major problems associated with anthrax and cholera, respectively.

The second study, run by Margery Smelkinson, was decidedly flu-focused. It discovered how a protein in the flu known as NS1 can alter what is known as the Hedgehog pathway in fruit flies–a gene that keeps them from emerging hairless. NS1 can alter that entire signaling pathway all on its own, a discovery which could give researchers insight enough to alter existing drugs that would manipulate the Hedgehog signaling accordingly, and through that, treat influenza.

“Another important finding from this study is that we uncovered a mutant form of NS1 that accelerated lethality in flu-infected mice which was linked to stronger activation of Hedgehog signaling,” Smelkinson said. “This suggests that reducing Hedgehog signaling during the course of the infection may reduce severity of symptoms. Some Hedgehog signaling reducing agents are currently on the market to treat specific types of cancers while others are in clinical trials. It would be interesting to see if any of these drugs would also be efficacious in treating the flu.”

Both studies made use of the lab of Professor Ethan Bier for their work. They also collaborated with the University of Texas at Austin and the Scripps Research Institute.