One more year, 41 editions by now,
a meeting was celebrated in the United States.
Besides a satellite conference
mainly about herpes simplex (labialis or genital),
Varicela, Epstain-barr or cytomegalovirus,
four intense sessions accounted for the molecular,
cellular and clinical aspects that lie behind the infections
of these pathogens. They usually have the ability
to become dormant in different tissues and organs,
therefore they may be involved in the etiology
or the development of many different diseases.
In the current edition, celebrated in Madison, Wisconsin,
the future antiviral compounds were shown,
the development for vaccines
or the use of these virus in therapies
against some types of cancer.
A summary, necessarily brief, of the most remarkable aspects
scientifically or socially of the congress would be the next…
We will start, logically, from the beginning,
that is, the entry of these viruses in the cell they infect.
Although it seems a simple process,
there are a lot of works still in progress
trying to discover how the herpesviruses
are in control of the cellular machinery,
starting with their penetration in the cytoplasm.
Behind these studies
it underlies the necessity of elaborating new antiherpetic medicines.
The viruses use of entries to infect the cells
was largely discussed as a possibility.
Scientists from State University from California
have reached a rising of the viral entries in cells
– which in the beginning wouldn´t have receptors to these viruses –
using, like taxi drivers,
gallbladders – small rafts
with infectious particles in their inside-.
It was verified this virus could enter in its guest
using multiple mechanisms,
both dependent and independent from ph.
It can be said that herpes is,
to some extent, the escapist-Houdini of the viruses.
Once inside the cell,
the move of the virus inside the nucleus
has really attracted attention…
Herpes labialis transport doesn´t depend on
the active organization of the cellular filaments
but the passive dissemination through the corridors (incubation corrals)
that the virus itself would be forming.
Likewise, some of the mechanisms
used by herpesvirus to produce tumours,
were presented in Madison.
Finally, the expected session about the development
of new medicines and anti-herpes treatments.
Besides the presentation,
on the part of the group I belong to,
of valproic acid as possible anti-herpes
to protect some of the central nervous system´s cells.
In a similar vein, scientists from the United States showed how
a derivative of the prior valproic acid, called Valpromide,
was effective against infections due to Epstein-Barr virus
inhibiting as replication
as viral reactivating Burkitt´s lymphomas,
which also sounds very promising.
Regarding other anti-herpes medicines
of non-specific nature,
it was anecdotal the presentation
of the antifungal Ciclopirox and Piroctone
as effective medicines against HSV-1,
considering that they protect several paths of cellular metabolism
that would use the virus.
The most encouraging was that antifungals become,
even, effective against viral mutant acyclovir resistant.
Indeed, next year, the congress will take place in Belgium,
in case you are motivated...
For Madri+d and UNED TV, José Antonio López Guerrero