So far, there is no safe drug with proven efficacy against Lassa fever, a fatal viral disease in humans. Now the Leiden University reports the first chip‐based model for Lassa hemorrhagic syndrome and a new treatment option for this disease.
The chip features a microvessel interfacing collagen network as a simple mimic for extracellular matrix, allowing for quantitative and real‐time vascular integrity assessment. Luminal infusion of Lassa virus‐like particles led to a dramatic increase in vascular permeability in a viral load‐dependent manner.
Using this platform, the authors showed that Fibrin‐derived peptide FX06 can be used to suppress vascular integrity loss. This simple chip‐based model proved promising in the assessment of disease severity and provides an easy‐to‐use platform for future investigation of Lassa pathogenesis and drug development in a human‐like setting.
Lassa hemorrhagic shock syndrome‐on‐a‐chip
Alireza Mashaghi
Added on: 01-27-2021
[1] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bit.27636
