Scientists at the University of Southampton find revolutionary cure against Zika Virus

Southampton scientists have found a breakthrough in the bid to find a cure for a disease that has infected millions. University of Southampton University scientists have discovered a breakthrough in the fight against the dengue, Hepatitis C, and Zika Virus which spread in a worldwide epidemic. The team investigated Natural Killer (NK cells), a part of the body’s immune system and tested whether they recognised the Hepatitis C viruses, through a single receptor called KIR2DS2. To achieve this, they analysed DNA from more than 300 patients exposed to the Hepatitis C virus, which showed that the KIR2DS2 receptor was associated with successfully clearing it. They are now hoping to develop a vaccine that targets the cells in the three viruses. The KIR2DS2 targeted a non-variable part of the virus pathogen called the NS3 helicase protein, a vital part of the virus that manages its functionality. This then allowed the immune system to grab hold of the...