然而,事与愿违,Ralph Baric 与石正丽研究组随后于2015年发表在《自然》杂志上的文章[11]””Zheng-LiShi, Ralph Baric et al. (2015) A SARS-like cluster of circulating batcoronaviruses shows potential for human emergence.”还是造成了极大的争议。
RalphBaric则认为,此实验不过是在模拟一个自然界中有很大几率会发生的病毒重组事件而已,虽然大多数蝙蝠所携带的冠状病毒并不能直接感染人类,但类似于SHC014这种携带能识别人体细胞结合蛋白ACE2的纤突蛋白的病毒,如果恰巧与携带有毒性的冠状病毒的骨架重组,那么新病毒就将跨过中间宿主的障碍,直接传染给人造成严重的公共健康威胁。3美国政府暗中重启两个病毒改造研究计划惹质疑来自政府方面的资金中断并没有阻止RalphBaric对冠状病毒研究的信心,他依然积极寻找着可能的合作伙伴来继续相关的实验。2016年,总部位于美国加州的制药公司吉利德科学(GileadSciences)联合美国陆军传染病医学研究院治疗开发中心(UnitedStates Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases,TherapeuticDevelopment Center),美国疾病预防控制中心(Centersfor Disease Control and Prevention)和波士顿大学医学院(BostonUniversity School of Medicine)的研究人员,共同开发出了一款代号为GS-5734的小分子药物Remdesivir,试图对抗埃博拉病毒[12]。而这款新药也就是在这次新冠病毒疫情(COVID-19)中为人熟知的特效药物瑞得西韦。
2017年,美国疾病预防控制中心联合吉利德公司的研究人员共同发现,该药对包括线状病毒(Filovirus)、肺炎病毒(Pneumovirus)和副粘病毒(Paramyxovirus)等多种单链RNA病毒都有不错的抗病毒效应[13]。而包括SARS和MERS病毒的冠状病毒作为单链RNA病毒,自然也在潜在的测试名单之上。于是RalphBaric通过北卡大学联合范德堡大学开始了与吉利德制药公司的合作,在小鼠身上证明了Remdesivir对冠状病毒具有广谱的抗病毒特性,最终的研究成果于2017年6月发表在《ScienceTranslational Medicine》杂志[14]。
注解:【注1】:项目编号:1R01AI132178-01,广谱抗病毒GS-5734用于治疗MERS以及其他相关新发冠状病毒(Broad-spectrum antiviral GS-5734 to treat MERS-CoV and related emerging CoV)【注2】:2005年研究由中国国家重点基础研究发展计划(973计划)”自然储存宿主在病毒传播中的作用”(项目编号:2005CB523004),中国科技部国家“863”高技术发展计划(项目编号:2005AA219070),欧盟委员会SixthFramework Program “EPISARS” (no. 51163),澳大利亚生物安全合作研究中心传染病项目(Project1.007R),以及美国国立健康研究院,美国国家科学基金会‘‘Ecologyof Infectious Diseases’’(Award No.R01-TW05869)联合资助【注3】:2013年研究由中国国家自然基金重大项目“动物源病原体的发现及其对人类致病性研究”(项目批准号:81290050),中国国家科技基础性工作专项重点项目“我国重要自然宿主及媒介昆虫的病毒病原调查”(项目编号:2013FY113500),中国国家重点基础研究发展计划(973计划)“重要病毒跨种间感染与传播致病的分子机制研究”(项目编号:2011CB504701)和“重要病毒的入侵机制研究”(项目编号:2010CB530100),中国国家自然科学基金(项目批准号81290341和31321001),以及美国国家过敏与传染病研究所,美国国立健康研究院,美国国家科学基金会,美国国际开发署(Award No. R01AI079231: “Risk of viral emergence from bats; Award No.R01TW005869: “Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases”; Award No.R56TW009502: “International Influenza Funds”; PREDICT)等机构共同资助完成。参考文献:[1]. White House. Doing Diligence to Assessthe Risks and Benefits of Life Sciences Gain-of-Function Research.[2]. Science Magazine. After criticism,federal officials to revisit policy for reviewing risky virus experiments.[3]. Science Magazine. Scientists Brace forMedia Storm Around Controversial Flu Studies.[4]. Ron Fouchier, Yoshihiro Kawaoka et al.(2012) Gain-of-function experiments on H7N9.[5]. Ron Fouchier et al. (2012) AirborneTransmission of Influenza A/H5N1 Virus Between Ferrets.[6]. USA Today. Anthrax scare is latest safetylapse at CDC labs.[7]. USA Today. Sloppy practices by CDCscientist cited in lab mishap.[8]. Science Magazine. Six vials of smallpoxdiscovered in U.S. lab.[9]. Ralph Baric et al. (2003) Reversegenetics with a full-length infectious cDNA of severe acute respiratorysyndrome coronavirus.[10]. Nature. Engineered bat virus stirsdebate over risky research.[11]. Zheng-Li Shi, Ralph Baric et al. (2015)A SARS-like cluster of circulating bat coronaviruses shows potential for humanemergence.[12]. Travis Warren et al. (2016) Therapeuticefficacy of the small molecule GS-5734 against Ebola virus in rhesus monkeys.[13]. Michael Lo et al. (2017) GS-5734 and itsparent nucleoside analog inhibit Filo-, Pneumo-, and Paramyxoviruses,[14]. Ralph Baric et al. (2017) Broad-spectrumantiviral GS-5734 inhibits both epidemic and zoonotic coronaviruses.[15]. NIAID. 1R01AI132178-01. http://grantome.com/grant/NIH/R01-AI132178-01[16]. MIT Technology Review. Biologists rushto re-create the China coronavirus from its DNA code.[17]. The Washington Post. The U.S. is fundingdangerous experiments it doesn’t want you to know about.[18]. Public Health Emergency. Two ResearchProjects Reviewed Under Department of Health and Human Services Framework forGuiding Funding Decisions about Proposed Research Involving Enhanced PotentialPandemic Pathogens.[19]. NIH. 4R01AI069274-09. Transmissibilityof Avian Influenza Viruses in Mammals. https://projectreporter.nih.gov/project_info_description.cfm?aid=9121375&icde=43505586 [20].Zheng-Li Shi, Peter Daszak et al. (2005) Bats are natural reservoirs ofSARS-like coronaviruses.[21]. 中科院武汉病毒研究所,2011年度报告http://159.226.126.50/Public/upfile/article/201801181400404153.pdf[22]. Jonna K. Mazet, Peter Daszak &Zheng-Li Shi et al. (2013). Isolation and characterization of a bat SARS-likecoronavirus that uses the ACE2 receptor.[23]. Peter Daszak, Zheng-Li Shi et al. (2017)Discovery of a rich gene pool of bat SARS- related coronaviruses provides newinsights into the origin of SARS coronavirus.[24]. USAID. Pandemic Influenza and OtherEmerging Threats.[25]. Jeffrey Marlow. The Virus Hunters.[26]. USAID. https://healthmap.org/predict/[27]. USAID. USAID | PREDICT: ReducingPandemic Risk, Promoting Global Health.[28]. EcoHealth Alliance. FY2018 Annual Report[29]. The Washington Post. Lindsey Graham:Trump’s State Department budget could cause ‘a lot of Benghazis’.[30]. USAID. Fact Sheet: Fiscal Year (FY) 2019Development and Humanitarian Assistance Budget.[31]. Vox. A crucial federal program trackingdangerous diseases is shutting down.[32]. American Society for Microbiology.Emerging Pathogen Surveillance with Jonna Mazet, PhD.(来源:凤凰网-CC周刊;本文首发于2020年02月27日)