Biochemistry researchers reveal timing is key for fighting viruses

Biochemistry researchers have found that the timing and duration of international biological calls are key to fighting off viruses.

Such international calls are known as Biological Bugles and researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that the MDA5 molecule is key.

This is because it acts as an essential tool for producing enough interferon, known as the bugle call, to rally virus-fighting cells when the body is overcome with certain viral infections.

Those behind the study found that, in mice at least, the lack of MDA5 means that the immune system has to rely on less effective defenders, giving the virus a head start when it comes to establishing or expanding a chronic infection.

The research, which will appear on June 14th in Cell Host and Microbe, found that timing is critical when it comes to fighting a viral infection.

Should the surge of interferon comes come in good time then the immune system is able to limit or clear a virus but if it comes too late, bodily defences may already be overwhelmed.

First author Yaming Wang said: "If an injection of interferon is given within a certain time frame in the infectious process, we found that it was possible to decrease viral spread and bolster antiviral CD8 T cell responses in our mouse model.

"Adding interferon may also boost the power of antiviral vaccines that are being designed to help the immune system recognize and attack chronic viral infections such as HIV."

Interferon is made by the body in many forms and is named as such because of its ability to interfere with viral replication.

Viruses can cause both temporary and chronic infections. With the latter, the virus tends to go into periods of relative quiescence that limit its spread and diminish the conflicts it had with the immune system.

Such periods are often interrupted by flare-ups when the virus gets going again and becomes more active.

It is currently used in the field of antiviral medications in order to treat patients with hepatitis C who are suffering from regular flare-ups.