Cell discovery could lead to new anti-flu drugs

New Zealand scientists say they have made an important discovery that could lead to a breakthrough in new treatments to combat influenza.

Research at the University of Otago has shown that host cells, which have a natural ability to restrict viral infection, could be used to fight the flu virus.

"Our approach has been to identify the host proteins involved in influenza virus infection and subsequently exploit them for anti-influenza interventions," virologist Dr Matloob Husain said in a statement Friday.

With a long-term goal to identify new targets for anti- influenza drugs, the team had examined the role of one specific host component histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) and its involvement in the various stages of the influenza virus life cycle.

"The influenza virus uses host cell machinery to replicate itself and cause disease," said Husain.

"Influenza assembles its progeny at a specific compartment of the host cell. All of the necessary components must be transported to this compartment in order to complete the replication cycle."

"We have found that HDAC6 exerts its anti-influenza virus function by decreasing the transport of viral components to this compartment thereby inhibiting the virus assembly."

Without all the necessary components needed to assemble its progeny, the virus was unable to reproduce and spread.

HDAC6 was an important human protein that was already the target of new drugs to fight cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, and inflammatory disorders.

"Our findings would indicate that anti-viral drugs leveraging HDAC6's natural ability to restrict infection could be developed to combat influenza. Furthermore, an advantage of this approach would be less likelihood of viral resistance," said Husain.