An article in
ScienceDaily says that the researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine have figured out how regulation occurs of the protein that blocks HIV-1 from multiplying in white blood cells. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS and this discovery could serve as a potential elimination of the virus. It can eliminate the residue of the HIV-1 that remains in patients that have undergone antiretroviral therapy which reduces HIV-1 levels in the blood until it is undetectable, but it still remains in the phages. Dr. Felipe Diaz-Griffero says, “If you stop antiretroviral therapy, the virus emerges from these reservoirs and returns to the general circulation in a matter of days, as if the patient had never been treated.” Now that they have identified the protein and its regulation, they can prevent the HIV-1 from arising form reservoirs, eliminating them completely. Scientists have always known that the protein is
SAMHD1 but they have never been able to figure out why it only prevents HIV-1 replication in certain cells but not other crucial ones such as macrophages. SAMHD1 exists in two forms: phosphorylated and unphosphorylated. A cell is only protected from the replication of the HIV-1 when there is unphosphorylated SAMHD1 proteins present. They are now trying to figure out a way to permanently keep SAMHD1 in its unphosphorylated state.
[caption id="attachment_8000" align="aligncenter" width="625" caption="T-cell Infected by HIV "]

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I think this is a great discovery in science. It can potentially lead to a cure of a disease that people have been searching for the longest time. It would be a great success in medicine if this technique could be introduced to the public. However, I am curious to know how they will be able to account for the differences that exist from patient to patient.
This is a serious break through in science. Being able to eliminate HIV would be an astounding accomplishment and would do wonders for the world. HIV is a very large epidemic and finding a cure would save millions of lives. Great article.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a very promising development for HIV. THe fact that there is a time where these cells remain in a "resivuar" but are inactive is a troubling thought. Like many other diseases I wonder if during this time the HIV cells can mutate.
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