Individual response to Ebola predicted by new method

biotech healthcare

Prenatal single cell blood test for gene defects Researcher, Atsushi Okamura, comments, "Human data collected during an outbreak rarely contains the combined breadth and specificity of information scientists need to perform detailed analyses of immune function. Mouse models can help fill in the information gaps." Another researcher, Angela Rasmussen, explains, "A common criticism of mouse models of Ebola is that they don't faithfully recapitulate human infection, and thus can't be used to develop diagnostic or prognostic tools. Here we show that data generated in our mouse model can be applied to patient data to predict outcomes correctly." The good thing about mouse models is that they are cheaper, faster and give useful results that can be used to set the trajectory for the study of viral disease in humans and the development of better medications. The value of the present study is that it shows the reliability of a model developed in mice to predict outcomes in human disease. The ability to usefully employ mouse models could, therefore, lead to more research in this area. The advantages include the feasibility of carrying out preclinical studies in high-security laboratory facilities, and the ability to use more experimental animals to achieve higher statistical power at a lower cost than is possible with the use of larger animals. And finally, the use of machine learning helps to obtain more realistic models even in the absence of enough human samples. Implications The model is not yet ready for application in humans. Still, it could be developed into useful tools to classify patients with Ebola into those who are likely to have a severe or fatal disease and those who are not at risk in countries where medical resources are scarce. It could also help to choose which patients need a boost in their immune function because they are at very high risk, even before they develop signs of severe disease. Thirdly, it could help to select patients who must be vaccinated due to their being at the highest risk. Rasmussen says, "Since the current Ebola therapeutics being tested in the DRC [Democratic Republic of Congo] are most effective when given as early as possible in infection, our model could be used to develop tests with a huge impact on clinical care and patient outcomes." Finally, the mouse model's ability to reflect human immune responses to Ebola could help understand how other viruses like the infamous novel coronavirus outbreak now making news in China affect the human immune system, and to guide the development of therapeutics. Journal reference: Transcriptional Correlates of Tolerance and Lethality in Mice Predict Ebola Virus Disease Patient Outcomes Price, Adam et al. Cell Reports, Volume 30, Issue 6, 1702 - 1713.e6, https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(20)30035-8