GALVESTON — Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch reported that they have discovered two biochemical pathways that the Ebola virus relies on to infect cells.
Using substances that block the activation of those pathways, they’ve prevented Ebola infection in cell-culture experiments. The experiment might be an early step in developing a therapy for the deadly virus.
Ebola is associated with hemorrhagic fever. In some outbreaks, mortality rates have reached 90 percent.
Outbreaks occurred in Uganda in 2008 and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2007.
Robert Davey, an associate professor of microbiology and immunology, was the lead author of the paper appearing in Drug Discovery Research.
The research team includes research scientist Andrey A. Kolokoltsov, assistant professor Mohammad F. Saeed, postdoctoral fellow Alexander N. Freiberg and assistant professor Michael R. Holbrook.
