Scientists Disarm AIDS Virus’ Attack on Immune System

[Ohio Joe]

Scientists say they have found a way to disarm the AIDS virus in research that could lead to a vaccine. Researchers have discovered that if they eliminate a cholesterol membrane surrounding the virus, HIV cannot disrupt communication among disease-fighting cells and the immune system returns to normal.

Scientists have discovered that HIV needs cholesterol, which it picks up from the first immune cells it infects, to keep the virus' outer membrane fluid. That allows it to communicate with - and disrupt - the body's immune system.

The long-term effect of this disrupted communication is to destroy the body’s normal defense against the AIDS virus, which is responsible for 1.8 million deaths each year.

But researchers say they can prevent HIV from damaging the immune system, if they remove the cholesterol from the virus’ outer membrane.

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/health/-Scientists-Disarm-AIDS-Virus-Attack-on-Immune-System-130313993.html

They keep getting closer and closer, good news.

[lunatica]

1. This is great news!

I hope they've finally found the cure for AIDS. Or something to stop it dead in its tracks at least.

[pinto]

2. Funded by Britain’s Wellcome Trust and the U.S. National Institutes of Health

:thumbsup:

:thumbsup:

[Hoosier Daddy]

3. This could be Big

K&R

[JackintheGreen]

4. Until the pukes defund NIH

As far as I know, conservatives in the UK aren't targeting science yet.

[tblue]

5. Oh please let this be IT!

Hope hope hope hope hope!!!!

[pinto]

6. Counter intuitive, yet I've heard it mentioned anecdotally by a number of HIV MD's -

PWA's immune response is working frantically, 24/7, wearing out mature T cells, which die off, causing the body to rush to replace them. Often, the replacements are immature, non-effective T cells. The system collapses in an attempt to do exactly what it's geared to do.

Kudos to these researchers. I hope trials bear out the approach.

[xchrom]

7. Recommend

[msongs]

8. great! let our government own this and keep it away from death merchant corporations nt

[dmr]

9. K&R

[Chemisse]

10. That is amazing! This virus has been such an enigma.

I wonder how they can prevent the viruses from getting that cholesterol coat. That's probably top secret. HIV research has been so competitive over the years; there is a bundle of money for the company that succeeds with a vaccine and/or a cure.

I hope this is the breakthrough that can finally stop that virus.

[Ilsa]

11. The Pukes will have to admit that a cure is God's Will. nt