Ebola has always been a disease that I have found scary and intimidating.  The lack of a cure or a way to stop the tremendous death that this disease causes is a high priority in the research world. The largest outbreak of Ebola happened in 2014-2015 in Western Africa.  This outbreak caused more than 11,000 deaths and infected nearly 29,000 people.   In an article published in Science magazine tells us how a team of scientists from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, U. S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infections Diseases(USAMRID), and the Scripps Research Institute, were able to target a hidden Achilles heel shared by all known types of the Ebola virus. 

      Monoclonal antibodies which bind to and neutralize specific pathogens and toxins,  have emerged through research as the most promising treatments for Ebola patients.  In the past there is usually only one specific virus that the antibodies are able to fight against.  The most successful of the experimental therapies, ZMapp-TM,  a cocktail of three monoclonal antibodies for example is specific for Ebola virus Zaire but does not work for Ebola Sudan and Bundibugyo.  

   As researchers discovered the problem with the monoclonal antibodies could potentially cause issues because the Ebola virus hides deep inside the cell in the lysosomes which make them invisible to the immune system and they are shielded from the conventional way that antibodies work.  A couple of the lead scientists came up with the Trojan Horse plan in order to beat the "invisibility cloak", that Ebola has.  The scientists tricked the Ebola virus into carrying the way that they can be destroyed into the host cells.  

    Once inside the cell the scientists had developed two monoclonal antibodies into one molecule.  One of the molecules was designed to neutralize NPC1 protein in and the other was made to target NPC1 protein and destroy it.  After the antibodies went into the lysosome specific antibodies were released into the cell and in studies the dual antibiotic approach showed tremendous promise in that they were able to neutralize all five forms of the virus.  The Trojan Horse approach was then tested in mice, the results were not as good, but the protein structure in mice is different than that of human and the scientists will next test the antibodies in primates and hope that the results will lead to an antibiotic to save thousands of people from the deadly Ebola virus.  

    I am very grateful for the progress that is happening on the Ebola virus front.  I am anxious to find out how the further studies for this project have turned out and when the next outbreak of Ebola occurs that this will be ready and will surprise Ebola.  It is due to have a time out.