Impact of hyperammonemia during viral infection

Viral infections affect the immune system and metabolism as well as many other areas of our body. These include classic sickness symptoms such as apathy, anorexia and other behavioral changes. Exactly how these processes are coordinated in the body and contribute to the fight against pathogens remains still unclear. In a previous study we found that viral infections lead to metabolic changes in the blood. We particularly noticed the metabolite ammonia, which is normally excreted via the liver and the kidney. In the case of liver diseases, these detoxification processes can be disrupted, leading to increased concentrations of ammonia in the blood, which subsequently damage the brain. Our hypothesis is that the temporary increase in ammonia during infection influences classic disease-associated behavioral changes. We will address this with cell culture experiments and infection models employing latest methods of molecular biology, immunology, metabolic research and neurosciences. A better mechanistic understanding of how the body responds to infections may support the development of novel therapies against infectious and inflammatory diseases.