HIV Controllers May Restrict Full Blown AIDS
by Clinton Gil in Diseases on Dec 15, 2010
An AIDS researcher from Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital, Bruce Walker, has long been studying and investigating why some people with HIV still remain untreated for decades but never progress into AIDS. With this, Walker and his colleagues researched and published their explanation on the said situation. According to their study, there are genetic variations that change key proteins in their immune systems which may help explain the HIV controllers.
In their explanation, they stated that five of the six variants are within a protein that controls how certain immune cells, called CD4s, are displaying bits and pieces of viral protein on their outer shell. This only occurs if they happen to be infected with a virus. They found out that HIV has a special affinity for infecting CD4 cells, and without constant antiviral treatment the virus that slowly destroys the immune systems of most infected people.
In the statement, the researchers also explained, “But if a person has the newly discovered amino acid variants, his CD4 cells will be especially good at displaying pieces of HIV in a binding groove, or pocket of their outer coat.” They explained further, “That enables killer cells, immune cells called CD8s, to target and kill the infected cells before they can spew more viruses.”
Walker and his colleagues found those variants from European and African descent and in Hispanics. They hope that their study will help scientists figure out “how to manipulate the immune response in people who do not have the benefit of the genetic variations.”
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