Peginterferon Lambda (IFN-λ) to treat Coxsackie/Enterovirus B

[sometexan84]

The new drug Peginterferon λ-1a (PEG-IFN-λ or PEG-IL-29), to treat chronic Echovirus and Coxsackievirus B.

Anyone want to try it w/ me? Let me know! (3 spots available)


The treatment in a nutshell...

Chronic Enterovirus B is usually in your gut (GI tract)*

• Enteroviruses invade gut/intestinal mucosa, as this is a reservoir for viral persistence. The mucosa consists of epithelial cells
• Enterovirus found in parietal cells of ME/CFS patients. (Parietal cells are epithelial cells)
• Again, Enterovirus targets the gastrointestinal epithelium
• GI Tract, or intestinal epithelium, or intestinal mucosa, all same thing

* even if you know you have chronic enterovirus b in places other than gut (e.g. brain, pancreas, heart), it still likely means you have the infection in your GI tract still as well.


(GI tract) Intestinal epithelial cells are infected

• IEC (intestinal epithelial cells) – those in the GI tract (aka barrier, aka mucosa, aka epithelium etc)

GI tract secretes IFN to destroy infection

• Epithelium secretes type I and III interferons (IFNs) to kill virus.

Enterovirus B eliminated successfully by IFN

• Type III IFNs exert a potent antiviral activity against Coxsackievirus B.

but wait... Coxsackie BLOCKS IFN III (lambda)

• But Coxsackie B evades host’s immune response in the intestine by preventing type I and III IFN expression in epithelial cells
• CVB cleaves proteins in infected intestinal epithelial cells, blocking IFN III expression.
• Thus, evading immune response

Peginterferon lambda (IFN III) to the rescue

• Interferon-Lambda: A Potent Regulator of Intestinal Viral Infections