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We have lots of viruses molecular devices to infiltrate the host cell. Recently, researchers have discovered a new way by which viruses hiding from the immune system cells recognition: virus Vaccinia “masked” by apoptotic cells, stimulates phagocytosis (absorption cell particles from the external environment) and comprising fagosom penetrate inside cells.
Vaccinia virus is bigger in size, then other viruses, and for that reason it requires special techniques to infiltrate the host cell and replication. Professor Ari Helenius from the Institute of Biochemistry of Zurich (Germany) and his colleagues were able to explain the mechanism by making a very interesting observation.
To penetrate the cell-target, the virus uses the cellular machinery clearance “rubbish”, or debris located in the extracellular space. When a cell dies formed fragments of cell membranes and contents (apoptotic cells) absorbed through phagocytosis surrounding cells.
Often in this process does not require even the specialized cells such as macrophages. Debris is identified by cells through fosfatidilserin molecules. In a living cell fosfatidilserin located on the inner side of the membrane.
In the process of apoptosis fosfatidilserin moves on the exterior surface membrane. Vaccinia Viriony also bear on their surface fosfatidilserin. Thanks to this, the cells phagocytize them, taking over fragments of dead cells.
Strictly speaking, the way the virus enters the cell - not even phagocytosis (absorption of relatively large particles) but macropinycytosis (absorption of small particles). Researchers have shown that the virus is moving along active filaments of extracellular matrix.
Having reached the cell membranes, it stimulates the formation of introsusception, or deepening, which then turns into a bubble or membrane or phagosome, inside which the virus enters the cell.
After reviewing of 7000 cell membrane proteins, the researchers found that a key enzyme in the virus penetrating the cell is in the kinase PAK-1, where the virus remained in the extracellular space and was not able to start the process of introsusception in the cell membrane.
The strategy Vaccinia infection has been described for the first time, and there is no data on what other viruses can still use it. It is known that herpes and adenoviruses also use macropinycytosis.
Knowledge of the strategies of pathogenic viruses infect human cells, their behavior inside the cells and replication is necessary for the development of new therapeutic drugs that affect certain parts of signaling cascades necessary virus. If the virus enters the cell, then in the end he understood the immune system cells and destroyed.
Vaccinia belongs to a family of highly pathogenic viruses, which also includes smallpox virus black Variola, causing in the Middle Ages a devastating epidemic, resulted to the deaths of millions of people. Such studies are designed to prevent such epidemics in the future.