Science: Key proteins identify cold viruses

DECEMBER 3, 2020 /--- In a recent study, a team of scientists from Nanyang Technological University's Institute of Science, Technology and Research (A-STAR) in Singapore discovered the role of proteins in detecting common cold viruses and initiating an immune response to infection.
a recent study published in the journal Science, they showed that the NLRP1 protein found in the skin and respiratory tract is a sensor for detecting human rhinovirus (HRV).
when NLRP1 breaks through the airways, it triggers an immune response that causes inflammation of the lungs and causes symptoms of the common cold.
HRV is a common cause of colds and acute respiratory diseases in children and adults, which can lead to bronchitis and pneumonia in severe cases.
(Photo Source: www.pixabay.com) the team said the discovery of NLRP1 could lead to new treatments for common cold symptoms, an infection that affects millions of people each year.
plan to work with clinicians to develop drugs that "turn off" or block NLRP1 to reduce the severity of symptoms of HRV-related diseases.
, the team noted that blocking the NLRP1 protein in human lung cells does not increase viral load.
"Now that we know that NLRP1 is the 'switch' of inflammation when it detects a common cold virus, the next step is to figure out how to stop it from activating and minimize the inflammatory response that triggers it," said lead author Professor Furin Zhong.
Zhong says their new insights into the function of the immune system could help scientists develop more effective treatments for other inflammatory diseases in the human respiratory tract.
represents a significant advance in our understanding of how the immune system uses specific proteins to sense and defend against viral pathogens," he said.
knowledge will be useful in designing treatments for viral diseases, including influenza and COVID-19.
"NLRP1 has been known to scientists for years, but its exact purpose is unclear.
it is a class of members of a family of proteins called "NLR" that are sensors in the immune system that trigger the body's response to invading pathogens.
when the team began their research in 2017, they hypothesed that NLRP1 could be used as a sensor for viruses because of its high levels in human skin and lungs, which are often exposed to viral pathogens.
team screened NLRP1 for several viruses to see if it triggered the protein activation.
months of testing, they observed that an enzyme called 3Cpro produced by HRV activates NLRP1 in human respiratory cells.
they found that 3Cpro enzymes cut NLRP1 at specific points, triggering some form of inflammatory "cell death", an important process for quickly removing pathogens such as HRVs during infection.
(Bioon.com) Source: Scientists discover role of protein in detecting the cold common virus Source: Kim S. Robinson et al. Enteroviral 3C protease activates the human NLRP1 inflammasome in airway epithelia, Science (2020). DOI: 10.1126/science.aay2002。