Links between flu and heart attack

Chances of a heart attack are increased during the first seven days after detection of laboratory-confirmed influenza infection, according to a new study by researchers at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) and Public Health Ontario (PHO). Researchers found a significant association between acute respiratory infections, particularly influenza, and acute myocardial infarction.

The risk may be higher for older adults, patients with influenza B infections, and patients experiencing their first heart attack. The researchers also found elevated risk - albeit not as high as for influenza - with infection from other respiratory viruses. Influenza vaccination reduces cardiovascular events and mortality, support international guidelines that advocate for influenza immunization in those at high risk of a heart attack.

The researchers examined adult cases of laboratory-confirmed influenza infection from 2009 to 2014 and identified 332 patients who were hospitalized for a heart attack within one year of a laboratory-confirmed influenza diagnosis. People at risk of heart disease should take precautions to prevent respiratory infections, and especially influenza, through measures including vaccinations and handwashing.
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New mechanism for battling influenza

A human protein called TRIM25, which was recently discovered to play an important role in the human immune response to flu infection; and a protein called NS1 present in all strains of the influenza.

TRIM25 acts earlier than previously believed, latching on to a critical and unique flu virus structure like a molecular clamp to keep the virus from replicating as soon as TRIM25 detects this unique structure. NS1 produced by the flu virus can block this function of TRIM25, enabling flu to circumvent the immune response and cause infection.

TRIM25 fought off flu by switching on interferon response- a complex signaling pathway that strengthens cells through the body to fight off pathogens. But not all strains of influenza block this interferon signaling pathway. TRIM25 is also a restriction factor - a special protein present in the fastest-acting arm of the immune system, before spreading infection. Restriction factors lie in wait to detect a virus in the cells.

Flu uses its NS1 protein to evade TRIM25's early flu-fighting response, the researchers infected transgenic cell lines loaded with nonhuman primate versions of TRIM25 with the human influenza virus. They discovered that the cells fought off the virus far better than human versions of the TRIM25 protein.

TRIM25 has the capacity to crush influenza, the researchers combined purified TRIM25 with purified viral ribonucleoproteins (vRNPs)- eight-piece protein chains that house the influenza genome and used state-of-the-art electron microscopy to take pictures of what happened.

They found that TRIM25 appears to swiftly recognize the unique structure of vRNPs and clamps down on them to keep them from replicating inside the cell. Other experiments confirmed that the NS1 protein in flu virus inhibits this function. They also found that TRIM25 is also present in the cell nucleus, which is the same cellular location where flu replication occurs.
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Compound in frog skin destroy flu virus

Emory vaccine center and the Rajiv Gandhi center for biotechnology in India said frog slime can kill the H1 variety of influenza viruses.

Peptide is a tiny compound produced from a chain of amino acids called building blocks of proteins. Frogs' skin have mucus that contains peptides, it protect them from harmful bacteria.

Latest study discovered that the skin of frogs from south Indian contains anti-flu peptides and it can be used for antiviral drug.

Professor Jacob an associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the Emory vaccine center and Emory University School of medicine and his team referred to peptide as urumin.

The team used mild electrical stimulation to gather urumin from an Indian frog and check it under electron microscope, it was discovered that the peptide disrupt flu virus.

The urumin attached itself to the stem of the viral hemagglutinin protein which is better than the current anti-inflammatory drugs that is attached to other parts of the virus.

Since flu viruses from human cannot infect frogs, production of urumin from frogs can still fight some other pathogen.