Genetics Research Offers Hope For HIV Cure

[Earnest Cavalli]

Genetics Research Offers Hope For HIV Cure

Offering new hope in the fight against HIV and AIDS, genetics researchers have discovered a way to immunize monkeys against the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus, a close relative of the HIV seen in humans.

A team led by University of Pennsylvania pediatrics specialist Philip Johnson discovered that by adding a gene into the muscle mass of a group of test monkeys [http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/22663/], their bodies would begin creating molecules that actively combat SIV.

Given that the key strength of both SIV and HIV is in their ability to rapidly alter biological attack vectors, convincing the body to defend itself from the threat with such regenerating molecules is a huge step towards possibily eradicating the malady.

While it will take years of further research before the findings published by Johnson's team can be introduced to human test candidates, recent advances in genetic tinkering [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.109970] offer solid hope that this discovery may benefit those living with the otherwise terminal illness.

[Image [http://www.flickr.com/photos/floridapfe/2243401439/]]

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[CoverYourHead]

Yay for the mapping of genes! Then all we have to do is make a strain of HIV that only attacks cancer cells... it's only a matter of time.

 

[scotth266]

I'm not thrilled. Why? Another version will evolve that's even harder to stamp out. There will be a immune strain out there, and it will grow to dominance as the old one dies out.

 

[Internet Kraken]

I'm not thrilled. Why? Another version will evolve that's even harder to stamp out. There will be a immune strain out there, and it will grow to dominance as the old one dies out.

Well that's actually the current problem with HIV medicine.

We have medicine that can cure HIV, but it only kills some of the pathogens. Eventually the remaining immune ones retake control of the body. This happens constantly, which is why people with HIV have to keep switching medication.

I'm assuming that this cure would completley eliminate HIV.

 

[Evilbunny]

Well, we all know how HIV spread to humans, some guy had sex with a monkey and then spread it to the human population. So, I think we all know what needs to be done here. Somebody needs to have sex with one of those immunized monkeys.

 

[scotth266]

I'm not thrilled. Why? Another version will evolve that's even harder to stamp out. There will be a immune strain out there, and it will grow to dominance as the old one dies out.

Well that's actually the current problem with HIV medicine.

We have medicine that can cure HIV, but it only kills some of the pathogens. Eventually the remaining immune ones retake control of the body. This happens constantly, which is why people with HIV have to keep switching medication.

I'm assuming that this cure would completley eliminate HIV.

Meh. I'm extremely doubtful about it. It's good news to be sure, but I bet that it'll become obsolete fairly quickly... super HIV will show up to replace the old one.

 

[Internet Kraken]

I'm not thrilled. Why? Another version will evolve that's even harder to stamp out. There will be a immune strain out there, and it will grow to dominance as the old one dies out.

Well that's actually the current problem with HIV medicine.

We have medicine that can cure HIV, but it only kills some of the pathogens. Eventually the remaining immune ones retake control of the body. This happens constantly, which is why people with HIV have to keep switching medication.

I'm assuming that this cure would completley eliminate HIV.

Meh. I'm extremely doubtful about it. It's good news to be sure, but I bet that it'll become obsolete fairly quickly... super HIV will show up to replace the old one.

Ah yes, super AIDS. How could I forget about it.

But I have to disagree. Like I said before, currently victims of HIV have to take a cocktail of medications to suppress the different types of the virus. This cure would be able to eliminate all the current types of the virus. It can combat HIV as a whole rather than the different variations of it.

Even if a new strand did evolve, it would be much easier to cure than before as the advancements in the field of science that produced this cure could also produce another one. But this cure may eliminate HIV all together.

 

[scotth266]

Snip.

I suppose that's true, seeing as this is more on the genetics side of things. You're right though, a super strain would be much easier to cure. Maybe I'm just pessimistic with regards to diseases...

 

[Spleeni]

Snip.

I suppose that's true, seeing as this is more on the genetics side of things. You're right though, a super strain would be much easier to cure. Maybe I'm just pessimistic with regards to diseases...

It's not like disease is impossible to fight. We've pretty much taken care of smallpox, the Black Death, and a variety of others that were once dangerous. Worst comes to worst, there's a deadly new disease that we have to adapt to. So what if it means that we have to go to Level Gamma! to stop people from having sex, kissing, or breathing the same air.

 

[jasoncyrus]

Nice to see the newsroom finally catching up.

This was discussed in the off topic section a week or so back. =)

But reading this more carefully its similar but not the same. The article we made reference to was a genuine cure for hiv, its a protien called retrocyclin (not sure if thats the right spelling, quite tired atm) Chimps i believe have the dna that produces it, and that same dna has been found in humans, however its currently "Junk DNA" in our system. Currently they are working on a retrovirus to unlock this dna to create a vaccine.

Basically the protien makes it impossible for the HIV virus to penetrate cell walls.

 

[Keivz]

I'm not thrilled. Why? Another version will evolve that's even harder to stamp out. There will be a immune strain out there, and it will grow to dominance as the old one dies out.

Well that's actually the current problem with HIV medicine.

We have medicine that can cure HIV, but it only kills some of the pathogens. Eventually the remaining immune ones retake control of the body. This happens constantly, which is why people with HIV have to keep switching medication.

I'm assuming that this cure would completley eliminate HIV.

So many inaccuracies. People on HAART don't have to keep switching medications so long as they take them consistently and don't get reinfected with a drug resistant strain. The meds effectively suppress the virus keeping it out of the bloodstream for the most part. Problem is the virus stays incorporated in the DNA of several cells all over the body where it essentially can't be reached. Thus, it's doubtful if a cure for HIV will ever be developed.

A vaccine, or in this case gene therapy, would prevent actual infection in the first place but not cure an established infection. This is such new territory that it will require ALOT of research. There may be potential side effects to producing these special antibodies from an unconventional location (cryoglobinemia, for example) such that the intervention may end up being worse than the actual infection.

 

[L33tsauce_Marty]

Wow that monkey looks creepy...

 

[Earnest Cavalli]

Nice to see the newsroom finally catching up.

This was discussed in the off topic section a week or so back. =)

But reading this more carefully its similar but not the same. The article we made reference to was a genuine cure for hiv, its a protien called retrocyclin (not sure if thats the right spelling, quite tired atm) Chimps i believe have the dna that produces it, and that same dna has been found in humans, however its currently "Junk DNA" in our system. Currently they are working on a retrovirus to unlock this dna to create a vaccine.

Basically the protien makes it impossible for the HIV virus to penetrate cell walls.

Oh, you mean like this article I wrote on April 29? http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.110433

 

[rohit9891]

Well I'm thinking that the new molecules that are introduced into the monkeys body will alter his DNA and change him into a zombie ultimately leading to a zombie apocalypse.

 

[Raregolddragon]

Hummm we get a cure and lets hope we can move to Genetic manipulation and engineering.

I am so getting scales.

 

[Neonbob]

Well, we all know how HIV spread to humans, some guy had sex with a monkey and then spread it to the human population. So, I think we all know what needs to be done here. Somebody needs to have sex with one of those immunized monkeys.

Hmm. I don't know if the same kind of twisted behavior is still present in today's...oh, who the hell am I kidding? There would probably be a line for that event.
On topic:
Anti-HIV muscles? Cool. The steroid crowd has another reason to work out now
And anything that gives people afflicted with the disease hope is a good thing in my book.

 

[Rigs83]

Great news but we still have at least another decade before human testings can begin. Also as swine flu has demonstrated we have many viral foes to face besides HIV.

Snip.

I suppose that's true, seeing as this is more on the genetics side of things. You're right though, a super strain would be much easier to cure. Maybe I'm just pessimistic with regards to diseases...

It's not like disease is impossible to fight. We've pretty much taken care of smallpox, the Black Death, and a variety of others that were once dangerous. Worst comes to worst, there's a deadly new disease that we have to adapt to. So what if it means that we have to go to Level Gamma! to stop people from having sex, kissing, or breathing the same air.

Actually Smallpox is only extinct in the wild but it still exist at various labs globally so it can make a return if terrorist or a rogue nation get their hands on it since vaccinations against it have ceased years ago and as for The Black Death recent research suggest that it was not Bubonic Plague but a virus that causes a hemorrhagic fever similar to Ebola. This may explain why some Europeans are actually born with an immunity to Ebola.
We are also facing a dramatic rise to drug resistant infectious diseases such as Strep that actually destroys soft tissue.