Research on key host pathways has implications for Ebola and beyond

By: Erica Moser Date: Nov 25, 2024

Ebola virus in cell — When the Hippo pathway is “off,” the downstream protein YAP (red) is localized to the nucleus. VP40 (cyan), a viral matrix protein found in the Ebola virus, simultaneously drives vigorous formation and egress of virus-like particles along the cell periphery. In addition, Ebola virus nucleoprotein directs the formation of cytoplasmic inclusion bodies (yellow), also known as viral factories, in which viral RNA synthesis (transcription and replication) occurs. (Image: Courtesy of Ronald Harty)

Mortality rates from Ebola outbreaks can be as high as 90%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 55 people died in the most recent outbreak in Uganda in 2022. The virus continues to evolve, but currently approved vaccines and therapeutics remain limited. And Ronald N. Harty, professor of pathobiology and microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, and Jingjing Liang, a research associate in the Harty Lab, still have a lot of questions.

How would currently approved vaccines fare if the virus were to spread widely? Why, in central Africa where Ebola outbreaks occur, is the virus able to persist in fruit bats as a natural reservoir, instead of killing them like it kills humans? How is the virus able to sometimes stay dormant in different types of tissues for weeks, months, or even years before it starts replicating again, only then causing symptoms and potentially death?

Harty has been working on Ebola for more than two decades. In trying to better understand virus-host interactions to identify better treatments, he has focused on VP40, the viral matrix protein that plays a critical role in how the virus escapes from a cell. His lab has looked at key pieces of this protein, including the L domain, a short stretch of amino acids that hijacks host proteins the Ebola virus uses to exit the cell.

About Penn Vet

Ranked among the top ten veterinary schools worldwide, the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) is a global leader in veterinary education, research, and clinical care. Founded in 1884, Penn Vet is the first veterinary school developed in association with a medical school. The school is a proud member of the One Health initiative, linking human, animal, and environmental health.

Penn Vet serves a diverse population of animals at its two campuses, which include extensive diagnostic and research laboratories. Ryan Hospital in Philadelphia provides care for dogs, cats, and other domestic/companion animals, handling more than 34,600 patient visits a year. New Bolton Center, Penn Vet’s large-animal hospital on nearly 700 acres in rural Kennett Square, PA, cares for horses and livestock/farm animals. The hospital handles more than 6,200 patient visits a year, while our Field Services have gone out on more than 5,500 farm service calls, treating some 18,700 patients at local farms. In addition, New Bolton Center’s campus includes a swine center, working dairy, and poultry unit that provide valuable research for the agriculture industry.