Deepka Shukla, University of Illinois at Chicago – Treatment For Herpes Virus

Is a protection against the herpes virus on the way?

Deepak Shukla, professor of ophthalmology and microbiology and immunology at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, explores how nanoparticles could be the answer to riding ourselves of this disease.

Deepak Shukla is the Marion H. Schenk Esq. Professor in Ophthalmology for Research of the Aging Eye, professor of ophthalmology and professor of microbiology and immunology in the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine. He is also director of the ocular virology lab in the UIC College of Medicine department of ophthalmology and visual sciences. Shukla studies the viral and immunological basis of ocular diseases, including the herpes simplex virus. His translational work focuses on the development of new anti-viral agents and vaccines, including a new class of combination agents that can both help treat and prevent viral infections through encouraging the development of natural immunity called ‘microbivac’ agents. Shukla’s research has been supported by the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, Research to Prevent Blindness, and other private and government sources. Shukla received his PhD in microbiology and immunology from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at Northwestern University. He joined the UIC faculty in 2011.

Treatment for Herpes Virus

Can you prevent the herpes virus from entering cells and also help facilitate a development of natural immunity for the virus? With nanoparticles synthesized using technology developed by nanomaterials scientists at Kiel University in Germany, we showed how specifically engineered zinc-oxide nanoparticles shaped like jacks can do just that.

We call our virus-trapping nanoparticle a microbivac, because it possesses both microbicidal and vaccine-like properties, meaning it prevents the herpes virus from entering and infecting cells, and also encourages the body to develop its own natural immunity to the virus.

It could serve as a powerful active ingredient in a topically-applied vaginal cream to provide immediate protection against herpes virus infection while simultaneously helping stimulate immunity to the virus for long-term protection.

The way our tetrapod-shaped zinc-oxide nanoparticles, called ZOTEN, work is through basic electrical charges that attract. The ZOTEN have negatively charged surfaces that attract the HSV-2 virus, which has positively charged proteins on its outer envelope.

When the herpes virus is bound to the nanoparticles, it cannot infect cells: the nanoparticle/virus complex is simply too large to pass through the cell membrane. The bound virus is also exposed to processing by immune cells called dendritic cells that patrol the vaginal lining. The dendritic cells engulf and process the virus, presenting pieces of it to the immune cells that produce antibodies specific to the herpes virus. The antibodies cripple the virus and trigger the production of customized killer cells that identify infected cells and destroy them before the virus can take over and spread.

If ZOTEN is proven to be safe and effective in humans, a ZOTEN-containing cream would ideally be applied vaginally just prior to intercourse. It would provide immediate protection, however, if a woman who had been using it regularly missed an application, she may have already developed some immunity and still have some protection.