Two-pore channels control Ebola virus host cell entry and are drug targets for disease treatment
Abstract
The current outbreak of Ebola virus in West Africa highlights the need for antiviral therapies. One strategy would be to block the Ebola virus's ability to enter host cells. Cells engulf Ebola virus particles, which then traffic into the cell in structures called endosomes. Sakurai et al. now report that the Ebola virus requires calcium channels called two-pore channels (TPCs) in endosomal membranes for successful entry (see the Perspective by Falzarano and Feldmann). The Ebola virus could not enter cells lacking TPCs or cells treated with a TPC inhibitor. Blocking TPCs therapeutically allowed 50% of mice to survive an ordinarily lethal Ebola virus infection.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Feb 27, 2015
- Source ID
- 10.1126/science.1258758
Entities
People
- Andrey A. Kolokoltsov
- Cheng-chang Chen
- Christian Grimm
- Christian Wahl-schott
- Martin Biel
- Michael W. Tidwell
- Norbert Klugbauer
- Robert A Davey
- William E. Bauta
- Yasuteru Sakurai
Organizations
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
- National Institutes of Health
- Southwest Research Institute
- Texas Biomedical Research Institute
- University of Freiburg
- University of Texas Medical Branch