VOA慢速英語:Flu Virus Disarms Immune System's First Responders
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By VOA
26 November, 2013
From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report.
Infection by the influenza virus may be more complex than scientists first thought. Researchers in the United States reported recently that the virus appears to disarm the body's first line of defense against disease.
When the flu virus attacks, the body's natural defenses produce white blood cells. The cells make antibodies design to linkup to the invading microorganism, neutralize it, and in that way, prevent or at least lessen infection. The special cells also keep a memory of the invader so that the natural defenses can fight it again if the individual is re-infected. That is the traditional understanding of how the body fights the flu virus.
Now, biologists have discovered how the virus can disarm those white blood cells, known as B cells. Hidde Ploegh led the team of researchers, he is with the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Studies with genetically-bred mice suggest the flu virus enters the B cells and interferes with the production of antibodies, this can kill the cells and the body's first line of defense.
If true, says Mr Ploegh, the process of infection may be more complex than scientists have thought.
"And so we think that this really provides a new window on how the virus goes about its business. It may have implications in terms of explaining why certain strains of flu cause a nastier version of the disease than others," said Ploegh.
Normally, the frontline antibodies occupy lung cells to protect the body against future viral invasion through breathing.
But the flu virus having disabled the antibodies, may instead target lung cells. In that way, the virus blocks the antibody's ability to remember the deadly invader, and labeling the virus to launch an attack on the body's defenses.
"So this suggests that the initial encounter of the very type of white blood cell that we think defends us against the virus may be taken out by this initial wave of infection," said Ploegh.
By neutralizing an interfering with the body's 'front line troops', Mr Ploegh says the flu virus has more time to reproduce and establish itself in the cells, that keeps the immune system from developing a second line of defense.
A report on how influenza overcomes the body's immune system was published in the journal Nature.
And that's the Health Report from VOA Learning English. You can read, listen and learn English with health news and more on our website chinavoa.com. You can also watch our captioned videos at the VOA Learning English channel on YouTube. I'm Milagros Ardin.
From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report.
這里是美國之音慢速英語健康報道。
Infection by the influenza virus may be more complex than scientists first thought. Researchers in the United States reported recently that the virus appears to disarm the body's first line of defense against disease.
流感病毒感染可能比科學家預(yù)想的要復雜得多。美國研究人員最近報告稱，這種病毒似乎可以解除人體抵御疾病的第一道防線。
When the flu virus attacks, the body's natural defenses produce white blood cells. The cells make antibodies design to linkup to the invading microorganism, neutralize it, and in that way, prevent or at least lessen infection. The special cells also keep a memory of the invader so that the natural defenses can fight it again if the individual is re-infected. That is the traditional understanding of how the body fights the flu virus.
當流感病毒來襲時，人體的天然防線會生成白細胞，這種細胞產(chǎn)生各種抗體用于和入侵微生物相結(jié)合并消滅它，通過這種方式來防止或至少減輕感染。這種特殊細胞還能記住入侵者，這樣人體的天然防線可以在再次感染時對付它。這是人體如何對抗流感病毒的傳統(tǒng)認識。
Now, biologists have discovered how the virus can disarm those white blood cells, known as B cells. Hidde Ploegh led the team of researchers, he is with the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
目前，生物學家已經(jīng)發(fā)現(xiàn)這種病毒如何瓦解這些被稱為B細胞的白細胞。 Hidde Ploegh領(lǐng)導了這個研究團隊，他就職于馬薩諸塞州劍橋市的懷特黑德生物醫(yī)學研究所。
Studies with genetically-bred mice suggest the flu virus enters the B cells and interferes with the production of antibodies, this can kill the cells and the body's first line of defense.
對基因繁殖小白鼠的研究顯示這種流感病毒會進入B細胞并干擾抗體的生成，這樣做能殺死這些細胞，瓦解人體的第一道防線。
If true, says Mr Ploegh, the process of infection may be more complex than scientists have thought.
Ploegh先生表示，如果這一點屬實，感染的過程可能比科學家們想象的要更加復雜。
"And so we think that this really provides a new window on how the virus goes about its business. It may have implications in terms of explaining why certain strains of flu cause a nastier version of the disease than others," said Ploegh.
他說，“因此我們認為這提供了一個新的窗口去了解這種病毒如何運作。它可能在解釋為什么某些菌株的流感引起的疾病會更加厲害方面具有一定影響。”
Normally, the frontline antibodies occupy lung cells to protect the body against future viral invasion through breathing.
通常情況下，一線抗體占領(lǐng)肺細胞保護人體免受未來病毒通過呼吸入侵。
But the flu virus having disabled the antibodies, may instead target lung cells. In that way, the virus blocks the antibody's ability to remember the deadly invader, and labeling the virus to launch an attack on the body's defenses.
但使得抗體失效的這種流感病毒可能轉(zhuǎn)而以肺細胞為目標。這樣一來，這種病毒會阻斷抗體記憶并標注它的能力，并對人體防御系統(tǒng)發(fā)起攻擊。
"So this suggests that the initial encounter of the very type of white blood cell that we think defends us against the virus may be taken out by this initial wave of infection," said Ploegh.
他說，“這表明我們認為可以保護我們免受病毒侵擾的這種白細胞可能會被第一波感染所瓦解。”
By neutralizing an interfering with the body's 'front line troops', Mr Ploegh says the flu virus has more time to reproduce and establish itself in the cells, that keeps the immune system from developing a second line of defense.
Ploegh表示，通過消除人體“一線衛(wèi)士”的干擾，流感病毒有更多時間在細胞中復制繁殖，這可以防止免疫系統(tǒng)生成第二道防線。
A report on how influenza overcomes the body's immune system was published in the journal Nature.
一份關(guān)于流感病毒如何克服人體免疫系統(tǒng)的報告發(fā)表在《自然》雜志上。
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