Scientists against viral secrets

Scientists know that certain types of cancer are caused by viruses, which covers mobile phone and create uncontrolled growth of cells. Doctors - and patients who have shingles later in life - also known for many years that certain viruses, including herpes viruses, can rest in a person, the cells for long periods, then again, what to the disease. These viruses also cause severe diseases in immunocompromised people and people living with HIV / AIDS.

A recent study of the management of Blossom Damania, Ph.D., professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, focuses on the intersection of the two puzzles scientists, that new discoveries , a herpes virus cause cancer in May reactivate when the infected cell senses another type of virus entry.

Damania, who is also a member of the UNC Line Berger Comprehensive Cancer Center, which focus on Kaposi's sarcoma associated herpes virus (KSHV), an agent in the context of Kaposi's sarcoma, primary effusion lymphoma and other syndrome Castleman's disease.

"We have the hypothesis of a secondary viral infection might be regarded as a trigger for KSHV, so that cells infected with KSHV and immune receptor proteins activated Toll-like receptors on cells of the body. Toll-like receptors are guardians of the cell and the key to the functioning of the cell in the presence of an intruder. These proteins act as an alarm system for the cell of a foreign body is trying to him, "Damania said.

Ten Toll-like receptors have been identified by scientists, so far, but the UNC team that the activation of two of them, TLR7 and TLR8, reactivated the virus to reproduce. Cell to destroy itself in the attempt to kill the virus, but by the time the cell dies, the virus has already replicated and escape to infect other cells in the body.

"It'sa very exciting because it helps us better understand how a virus can be latent, suddenly, to replicate and spread throughout the body. In addition, because Kaposi's sarcoma is a cancer in the context this phase of viral infection, it is plausible that the virus' activation and replication may eventually lead to the development of Kaposi's sarcoma in an infected person.

"Laboratory experiments in a controlled environment of research are often not the real world where we are constantly on many environmental factors and other micro-organisms. It is an important reminder that many factors are involved by the disease, "she added.