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r additional and complementary cell signaling pathways that might be temporarily blocked and either halt the spread of a virus from cell to cell or prevent infection altogether. Also, notes Dr. Reinherz, other viruses, including cytomegalovirus, exploit the erb-B pathway, suggesting that they too might be defeated through drugs that selectively block erb-B. While typically causing only mild disease, cytomegalovirus can be very serious in the young or in persons with compromised immune systems.

In a commentary accompanying the research article, Dr. Fauci and NIAID co-author Mark Challberg, Ph.D., write, "Inhibitors of the erb-B1 pathway as well as other cell-signal transduction pathways required for viral replication represent a largely untapped source of potential antiviral drugs and merit further exploration."

In addition to Dr. Reinherz, the other authors of the paper are Hailin Yang, Ph.D., Mikyung Kim Ph.D., and Pedro Reche, Ph.D., of DFCI; Sung-Kwon Kim, Ph.D., and Raymond Welsh, Ph.D., of the University of Massachusetts Medical School; and Tiara Morehead and Inger Damon, M.D., Ph.D., of CDC.

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Contact: Anne A. Oplinger
aoplinger@niaid.nih.gov
301-402-1663
NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
1-Feb-2005

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