Mpox DNA targeted by University of Lethbridge researchers

A team of University of Lethbridge researchers broke down the genetic code of Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, a foundation discovery for future treatment.

“We wanted to see if we can identify some targets from the virus against which scientists can then start looking at the drug development,” said Dr. Trushar Patel, Canadian Research Chair, associate professor in the ULethbridge Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, and leading researcher in the study.

According to the World Health Organization, last year’s global outbreak of Mpox resulted in 87,000 cases and 112 deaths across 110 countries. In Canada, 1,500 cases were reported.

Dr. Patel explains there are limited available treatments for Mpox including the smallpox vaccine, found to be only 85 per cent effective against Mpox, and an antiviral drug also used to treat smallpox.

“These viruses often come back again,” said Patel.

“What we need to do is find alternative ways to target this virus that provide cheap alternatives,” said Darren Gemmill, a PhD candidate part of the study.

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According to Gemmill, the smallpox vaccine is not accessible for many countries.

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Marianne Stanford, assistant scientific director for the CIHR institute of infection and immunity, explains developing good treatments requires researchers to find the Achilles heel of the virus.

“The more we learned, the more it will impact our ability to either contain, or fight these infections when they actually happen, not only in Canada, but around the world,” said Stanford.

Gemmill and Higor Pereira, post-doctoral researcher for the study, looked at nearly 600 different sequences of Mpox genetic material, and found that genetic Achilles heel in the form of DNA structures important to Mpox that are absent in other pox viruses. They’re called G-quadruplexes.

“That allows us to then develop therapeutics that can specifically target Mpox in the future,” said Patel.

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The team found a cost-effective compound that binds to the Mpox DNA that decreases the formation of a protein, crucial for viral replication.

“We haven’t done any studies in vivo, but we show the potential to decrease the viral replication in vitro,” said Pereira.

Researchers say they’re a long way to a treatment, but Patel adds, “We have now some sort of framework ready to start working on it if we have future pandemics.”