Heard of DRACO? It stands for Double-stranded RNA Activated Caspase Oligomerizer. Back in August of 2011 I read a news office release from MIT’s Lincoln Lab, describing a new technology that could someday cure the common cold, influenza and other viral-derived illnesses. At the time I thought this is something to watch and see if comes out of the laboratory to become a reality. Unlike antibiotics designed to destroy bacterial invaders, DRACO focuses on viruses, and in particular, on a single universal feature common to all of them.
Viruses mutate rapidly. That’s why every year we need to get a new influenza shot because every year we tend to face a new viral variant. But what do they all have in common? A double strand of RNA that coerces the DNA of the cells they invade to replicate copies of themselves. Every time a cell is invaded by a virus it replicates on mass and then breaks out destroying its host.
So what if an infected cell died before the virus could replicate? And what if the double strand of RNA could be the identifier that would trigger premature cell death so that no viruses could infect neighbouring cells. Essentially that is the modus operandi for DRACO, switching on the suicide button in a cell once the viral RNA alarm bell goes off.
What constitutes a suicide button in a cell? A protein! Normally cells use proteins as messengers and instruction deliverers for the execution of cell function. DRACO is a combination of two recognized natural proteins commonly found in human cells. Called a superprotein, DRACO’s two components are PKR and Apaf-1. PKR stands for protein kinase RNA-activated. It tracks the RNA viral double strand within the cell. Apaf-1 stands for apoptotic peptidase activation factor 1, a protein that activates a cell’s suicide switch.
What viruses are the object of DRACO’s wrath? The superprotein is being tested in the lab to combat 15 different viruses including:
- HIV (AIDS)
- Influenza (the flu including H1N1, swine flu)
- Rhinovirus (the common cold)
- Dengue Fever
- Adenovirus (respiratory infections)
- Murine Adenovirus (internal organ infections)
- Varicella zoster (chicken pox)
When will DRACO be avialable for human trials. As early as 2017 with large-scale trials planned for 2020. FDA and other health authority approvals are expected by 2022.
For a recent article on DRACO, look for the September/October 2012 issue of Science Illustrated. Great pictures and good explanations.