Scientists find weakness in deadly Ebola virus
Aug 29, 2011
A protein that helps transport cholesterol inside cells may be a key to developing drugs to treat Ebola, a rare but lethal virus for which there are no known treatments, US researchers said.
A protein that helps transport cholesterol inside cells may be a key to developing drugs to treat Ebola, a rare but lethal virus for which there are no known treatments, US researchers said.
Laboratory mice bred to produce low levels of this protein – known as Niemann-Pick C1 – survived exposure to both Ebola, which causes a haemorrhagic fever, and its cousin, Marburg virus.
“The discovery also improves chances that drugs can be developed that directly combat Ebola infections,†said the statement.
Laboratory mice bred to produce low levels of this protein – known as Niemann-Pick C1 – survived exposure to both Ebola, which causes a haemorrhagic fever, and its cousin, Marburg virus.
“The discovery also improves chances that drugs can be developed that directly combat Ebola infections,†said the statement.