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Imagine never catching a cold again. Scientists have discovered why some people are naturally virus-proof [1]
['Ellsworth Toohey']
Date: 2025-08-18
A rare genetic mutation that makes some people naturally impervious to viral diseases could lead to a universal antiviral treatment. Columbia University researchers have transformed this genetic quirk into an experimental therapy that shows broad protection against viruses.
The discovery stems from Dr. Dusan Bogunovic's work with patients who lack an immune regulator called ISG15. While studying their cells, he found evidence of encounters with numerous viruses – flu, measles, mumps, chickenpox – yet "the patients had never reported any overt signs of infection or illness." This led to a crucial insight: "In the back of my mind, I kept thinking that if we could produce this type of light immune activation in other people, we could protect them from just about any virus," Bogunovic says.
The resulting therapy, published in Science Translational Medicine, packages 10 specific mRNAs inside lipid nanoparticles. When delivered nasally to test animals, it prevented viral replication of both influenza and SARS-CoV-2. The protection appears to last 3-4 days, making it potentially valuable for emergency pandemic response. However, delivery methods still need improvement, as Bogunovic notes: "Once the therapy reaches our cells, it works, but the delivery of any nucleic acid, DNA or RNA, into the part of the body you want to protect is currently the biggest challenge in the field."
"We were not looking for an antiviral when we began studying our rare patients," Bogunovic says, "but the studies have inspired the potential development of a universal antiviral for everyone."
Previously:
• Horrifying transformation turns ordinary rabbits into nightmare creatures as virus spreads through Colorado
• A virus first found in chickens is implicated in human obesity
• Virus trading cards, animated and 3D-printable
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