medicine
Genetics in the War Against Viruses Aayush Purohit
Image courtesy of Creative Commons.
Viral infections pose immense threats to our with a virus, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus health due to their resilient and lethal nature. As (LCMV). The viral infection causes symptoms such as antibiotic treatments are impossible, finding ways weight loss, elevated cytokines, thrombocytopenia, to slow down their attacks is essential. For example, and lung edema in mice, which are characteristics a group of viruses known as arenaviruses has been that resemble those found in humans suffering seen to have a devastating effect on populations. from an arenavirus infection. Conducting genetic Those diagnosed with an arenavirus infection face a studies using real diseases is easier and simpler high mortality rate of 50% in most cases.1 The work to conduct in mice, and their results have the of Dr. Jason Whitmire, an associate professor in the capability to be applicable to humans. Identifying a Genetics and Microbiology & Immunology depart- specific location, or locus, in the genetic makeup of the mice is a difficult task, but ments of the UNC School of Medicine, focuses on arenavi- “A specific region in the mice’s one that can show the region responsible for influencing the rus infections. Dr. Whitmire’s lab investigates viral infections DNA called the PL allele was seriousness and impact of the in order to try and analyze the observed to affect various disease.1 resulting immune responses For their experimentation, immune system features...” the researchers had to do a that they can provoke, as well as the mechanisms behind couple of different things in these responses, with one particular project of his order to put together the different pieces of the involving experimentation with mice as a model puzzle. They had to monitor the health, particularly for human pathology and examining genetics as it that of the immune system, of the mice as the disease relates to regulating the impact and mechanisms progressed through their system. Doing so meant of disease. Looking at the details of these systems that they looked at different symptoms and effects can reveal answers to questions that plague patient within the mice. The researchers proceeded to healthcare everywhere. conduct genetic tests to sequence the genes of these The Whitmire lab seeks to model arenaviruses infected mice. Analyzing the genetic information in particular. Arenaviruses, which are pathogens they acquired enabled them to see which regions that can lead to severe hemorrhagic disease, a and genes had been changed or altered. They rapid loss in blood with potentially fatal outcomes. could then highlight the specific regions possibly In order to accomplish the task, they infected mice responsible for changing the immune response
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