Influenza 'histone mimic' suppresses antiviral response
Sunday, May 6, 2012 - 10:30
in Health & Medicine
For a virus like influenza, the key to success isn't in overpowering the immune system, it's in tricking it. Scientists have now identified a novel mechanism by which influenza viruses hijack key regulators of the human body's normal antiviral response in order to slip by it undetected. The results they describe have major implications for our understanding of the biology of the seasonal influenza virus and its pathogenesis. The research also suggests a possible target for a new class of antiviral and anti-inflammatory drugs.