Zooming in on a virus that can cause blood cancer
New research from the Masonic Cancer Center (MCC), University of Minnesota and the School of Dentistry is helping scientists better understand a virus linked to blood cancer. The study, recently published in Nature Communications, offers a clearer look at how the virus is built, an important step toward developing future treatments.
The research team was led by Wei Zhang and Louis Mansky, both MCC members and faculty in the School of Dentistry. The scientists studied human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV), a type of virus that can cause adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. HTLV is related to HIV, but unlike HIV, there are currently no approved treatments that directly target this virus. To learn more, the research team used advanced imaging tools to examine the virus at very high resolution.
Using special types of visualization techniques, called cryogenic electron microscopy and tomography (cryo-EM/ET), the researchers captured detailed, 3D images of the virus. These techniques work by rapidly freezing samples at extremely low temperatures, allowing scientists to see tiny structures that are otherwise difficult to observe. The team focused on the virus’s capsid protein—the protective shell that surrounds the virus’s genetic material and helps the virus assemble and function.
What did we learn?
The study revealed several important findings. The imaging methods allowed researchers to closely analyze the capsid protein’s structure, demonstrating a powerful approach for guiding drug design. For the first time, the team was able to observe key details of how HTLV particles are organized. For example, they measured the distance between the capsid and the virus’s outer layer, providing new information about how the virus is constructed.
The researchers also examined a small molecule known to play a role in HIV. They found that while this molecule can interact with HTLV, it is not required for the virus to form. This discovery may help scientists understand how drugs developed for HIV could inform future strategies against HTLV.
“These high-resolution images give us valuable clues about how HTLV spreads between cells,” said Mansky. “This has been a long-standing question in the field and is critical for guiding the development of therapies, especially since there are no approved treatments for HTLV infection.”
Plans for further research
The team plans to continue studying how the HTLV capsid protein supports virus formation and how new therapies might disrupt this process. Their work moves the field closer to identifying potential antiviral strategies.
This study was conducted in collaboration with researchers at the University of Delaware and the University of Central Florida. The research was supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health and the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota.