Artificial Ebola Virus as Gene Therapy Agent

Researchers have modified the glycoprotein coat of Ebola virus for use as a delivery mechanism in gene therapy. A report on their work was published in the December 15, 2002, issue of the Journal of Virology.

All strains of Ebola have a protein shell comprising a sequence of about 675 amino acids and share a common sequence of 181 amino acids. Investigators from Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN, USA) removed those 181 amino acids and generated a shell from the remainder. The modified Ebola shell proved effective at attaching itself to cell membranes and was able to transfer genetic information efficiently.

"We managed to cut more than 25% of the string and found the retrovirus would transfer genes even more effectively than one with a ‘natural' Ebola coat,” explained corresponding author Dr. David Sanders, associate professor of biological sciences in Purdue's School of Science. "We now have a vehicle that can potentially bring genes directly to the lungs, which was not feasible before. We are adding a new tool to the gene-therapy toolbox. Up to this point, modified retroviruses could only be injected. Now we have a potential method of treating lung conditions with an inhaled retrovirus that is more easily produced in the lab than the version found in nature.”





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