www.liai.org/news/releases/may_07_cmv.htm -
[Cached Version]
Published on: 5/10/2007
Last Visited: 2/3/2008
LIAI scientists Ian Humphreys, Ph.D., Carl Ware, Ph.D., and Michael Croft, Ph.D. led the study.
...
Ware said, "The main importance of these experiments is identifying the critical molecular targets controlling virus persistence, and two ways in which we can modulate immunity in vivo with the desired result of blocking virus spread to uninfected individuals.
"The potential excitement in the findings is that we may be able to one day use this kind of treatment in humans to block or significantly reduce the spread of cytomegalovirus and other chronic virus infections."Ware noted that the salivary glands are a primary source of transmission for many viruses due to sneezing, coughing and kissing.Eliminating the virus at this critical juncture may significantly reduce CMV's spread, he said.
...
"Dr. von Herrath's findings suggested that the IL-10 molecule plays a pretty important role in small RNA viruses, while our study looked at its impact in large DNA viruses," Ware said."I think both of these studies lend credibility to the idea that the medical community should be looking at IL-10 as a molecular candidate that might be used to control persistent viral infections."
Ware and Croft's next step will be conducting animal studies with the IL-10 suppression and the OX40 enhancement combined into one treatment.