How Viruses Deactivate The Immune System

Latest study can answer how the virus is dodging the immune system and causing chronic infections, such as HIV or hepatitis c virus

A virus is a small infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of other organisms. Viruses have ‘studied’ immunology over millions of years of coevolution with their hosts. During this ongoing education, they have developed countless mechanisms to escape from the host’s immune system.

A new study done in McGill University have revealed a molecular mechanism which can give an answer to the question that how the virus is dodging the immune system and causing chronic infections, such as HIV or hepatitis c virus. This new study can also help to find a new target to treat a wide range of disease.

Our immune system recognizes the infected cell and destroys them. This work of recognizing the Infected cell is done by one of the lymphocytes which are cytotoxic T lymphocytes i.e CD8+ T cells. CD8+ T cells essential for immune defense against intracellular pathogens, including viruses and bacteria. When a CD8+ T cell recognizes its antigen and becomes activated. it kills the infected or malignant cells getting signaling orders from chemical mediators known as cytokines that make them more or less responsive to outside threats and prevent the infection from spreading.


This study was published in journal Immunity.

During their research, the researcher found that certain viruses interfere with the order of production of a cytokine which in turn modifies the glycoprotein present on the surface of the CD8+ T cells hence making the cells less functional.

This manipulation gives more time to the pathogen to leave behind the immune system and establish a chronic infection. With this study in mind, this pathway can be targeted to restore some functionality to the T cells which in turn can enhance the capacity to control infection.



The BioScientist


Related Articles

Back to top button