HIV Basic Science
Inflammation Biomarkers Linked to Increased Risk of Death in People with HIV
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- Category: Inflammation & Immune Activation
- Published on Friday, 29 October 2010 15:43
- Written by Liz Highleyman
HIV positive people with elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen, 2 biomarkers associated with inflammation and blood clotting, had a significantly higher risk of death over 5 years, according to a report in the November 1, 2010 Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes. These findings suggest that inflammation remains an important risk factor for mortality even among individuals with relatively high CD4 cell counts, the researchers concluded.
Study Uncovers Structure of CXCR4 Co-receptor Used by HIV to Enter Cells
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- Category: HIV Basic Science
- Published on Friday, 22 October 2010 14:17
- Written by NIH
As described in the October 7, 2010 advance online edition of Science, researchers have determined the crystal structure of a chemokine receptor known as CXCR4 that enables certain strains of HIV to enter host cells including CD4 T-cells. Receptors of this type also play a role in regulating cell proliferation, and therefore can contribute to the development and spread of malignancies. Scientists hope this new insight will aid discovery of agents to control CXCR4 activity, possibly leading to new therapies for HIV and cancer.
Immune Activation Contributes to HIV Disease Progression in HIV/HCV Coinfected Women
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- Category: HIV Basic Science
- Published on Friday, 19 March 2010 12:46
- Written by Liz Highleyman
HIV/HCV coinfected women with detectable hepatitis C virus (HCV) in their blood had a higher percentage of activated CD8 T-cells, as well as a significantly higher risk of progression to AIDS, according to a study described in the March 15, 2010 Journal of Infectious Diseases. Increased immune activation may help explain more the rapid HIV disease progression seen in some studies of coinfected patients.
HIV Ancestor in Monkeys Older than Previously Believed
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- Category: HIV Origins
- Published on Tuesday, 21 September 2010 14:17
- Written by Tulane
Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) -- the precursor to HIV that infects non-human primates -- may be much older than experts previously thought, according to a report in the September 17, 2010 issue of Science. The new calculation, based on SIV strains found on an isolated island off the coast of Africa, suggests that the virus has existed for at least 32,000 to 75,000 years.
CROI 2010: Inflammation and Immune Activation Linked to Increase Mortality Risk in People with HIV
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- Category: HIV Basic Science
- Published on Tuesday, 16 March 2010 00:00
- Written by Liz Highleyman
Inflammation and excessive CD8 T-cell immune activation were independent predictors of increased risk of death both in a U.S. study and among HIV patients starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Uganda, according to 2 reports presented at the 17th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2010) last month in San Francisco. While lower CD4 cell count may explain part of the association, inflammation itself was an independent predictor of mortality.
Researchers Identify TRIM5a Protein that Destroys HIV in Monkeys
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- Category: HIV Basic Science
- Published on Tuesday, 31 August 2010 14:17
- Written by Loyola
Loyola University researchers have identified a specific protein of the intracellular restriction factor TRIM5-alpha (TRIM5a) that is responsible for inhibiting HIV infection in rhesus macaques, according to a report in the September 15, 2010 issue of Virology. While normal human TRIM5a does not protect against HIV, identification of the related monkey protein may point to way to future therapies using genetic engineering.
Inflammatory Markers and Cardiovascular Risk in Treated and Untreated People with HIV
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- Category: Cardiovascular Disease
- Published on Tuesday, 16 February 2010 13:15
- Written by Liz Highleyman
Two recently published studies shed further light on the relationship between inflammation and non-AIDS conditions in people with HIV. One study found that HIV positive people may have elevated levels of the inflammatory biomarker high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), even if they are on effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) and otherwise have a low cardiovascular risk. The second study found that people with untreated HIV infection had lower HDL (good) cholesterol and increased levels of inflammatory and coagulation markers compared with HIV negative individuals.
Researchers Identify FDA-Approved Drugs Active Against HIV in Mice
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- Category: HIV Basic Science
- Published on Tuesday, 24 August 2010 14:17
- Written by University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota researchers identified 2 drugs already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for cancer treatment -- decitabine and gemcitabine -- that together reduced HIV infectivity by nearly 75% in mice, according to a report in the September 2010 Journal of Virology. Decreased infectiousness was associated with increased mutation frequency, leading to "lethal mutagenesis" -- a condition that occurs when a virus mutates too much to carry out its normal functions.
Early Immune System Changes and Level of HIV in Cells Predict Later Disease Progression
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- Category: HIV Basic Science
- Published on Friday, 29 January 2010 13:15
- Written by Liz Highleyman
Subtle changes in CD4 and CD8 cell levels and immune activation can indicate likelihood of progression later in the course of HIV disease, according to a study described in the January 15, 2010 Journal of Infectious Diseases. Researchers also found that the amount of integrated virus in CD4 cells is a predictive factor, and said their findings support early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART).
Immune Activation and Inflammation Due to Leaking Gut Bacteria Linked to HIV Disease Progression
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- Category: Inflammation & Immune Activation
- Published on Tuesday, 13 July 2010 14:17
- Written by Liz Highleyman
Microbial translocation, or leakage of bacteria from the gut, is increased in people with HIV and is associated with ongoing immune activation, CD4 cell loss, higher viral load, and progression to AIDS, according to 3 recently published reports. One study found that effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) reduced levels of the bacterial toxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to normal levels in HIV positive adults, but a study of HIV-infected children showed that LPS elevation and immune activation persisted even after CD4 cell recovery and viral suppression on ART.
Researchers Use Stem Cells to Produce CD8 Cells Targeting HIV
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- Category: HIV Basic Science
- Published on Friday, 11 December 2009 13:13
- Written by Liz Highleyman
Researchers have found a way to engineer human stem cells to produce CD8 killer T-cells that specifically target and destroy HIV-infected cells, according to a study reported in the December 7, 2009 issue of the open access journal PLoS One. Many challenges remain, however, before this process could be widely used to treat HIV or other diseases caused by a malfunctioning immune system.
Researchers Discover Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies that Act Against 91% of HIV Strains
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- Category: HIV Vaccines
- Published on Tuesday, 13 July 2010 14:17
- Written by NIAID
Researchers with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Vaccine Research Center have identified 2 new antibodies, dubbed VRC01 and VRC02, that can neutralize more than 90% of know HIV strains, according to reports in the July 8, 2010 advance online edition of Science. These antibodies -- which target a conserved (mutation-resistant) part of the HIV gp120 envelope protein that attaches to the CD4 surface receptor to enter cells -- could potentially be used to create a future preventive vaccine, protective microbicide, or therapeutic vaccine to slow disease progression in people already infected.
Immune Systems of People with Untreated HIV infection May Deteriorate More Quickly than Previously Thought
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- Category: HIV Basic Science
- Published on Friday, 07 August 2009 14:13
- Written by NIH
People with untreated HIV disease appear to experience faster immune system deterioration than previously assumed, according to preliminary results from SETPOINT, a small trial conducted by the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG). The study was stopped early because this finding suggests that clinicians may need to monitor people with recent HIV infection as closely as they do for people with more advanced disease in order to determine the best time for patients to start antiretroviral treatment (ART).
Scientists at the U.S. National Institutes of Health Discover Human Antibodies That Can Stop Most HIV Strains from Infecting Human Cells
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- Category: HIV Vaccines
- Published on Thursday, 08 July 2010 14:17
- Written by NIH
Researchers have found 2 human antibodies that, in laboratory testing, halt the infection of more than 90 known strains of HIV, according to scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This discovery could lead to more effective HIV vaccines and to improved strategies for the prevention and treatment of HIV infection.
Transfer of HIV from Infected to Uninfected T-Cells Captured on Video for the First Time
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- Category: HIV Basic Science
- Published on Friday, 27 March 2009 14:12
- Written by Mt. Sinai
A new study published in the March 27, 2009 issue of the journal Science and presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections last month in Montreal demonstrates how HIV directly passes from infected to uninfected T- cells. The study authors believe that this discovery, captured on video for the first time, could lead to new strategies for blocking HIV transmission in the future.
Researchers Gain New Insight into Crystal Structure of HIV Tat Protein
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- Category: HIV Basic Science
- Published on Friday, 18 June 2010 14:16
- Written by University of Iowa
As reported in the June 10, 2010 issue of Nature, researchers from the University of Iowa and University of Nebraska have discovered new information about the structure of the HIV Tat protein -- which plays a key role in enabling the virus to use the host cell to copy its genetic material -- and its interaction with the human protein P-TEFb. This new insight may help scientists design future Tat inhibitor drugs that interfere with viral replication without harming human cells.
HIV9: Biomarkers of Inflammation and Coagulation in Children and Adolescents with HIV
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- Category: Inflammation & Immune Activation
- Published on Friday, 14 November 2008 12:41
- Written by Liz Highleyman
In a study presented this week at the 9th International Congress on Drug Therapy in HIV Infection (HIV9) in Glasgow, Scotland, investigators sought to determine whether inflammatory and coagulation biomarkers are altered in HIV positive children and adolescents.
CROI 2010: Vitamin D Deficiency is Widespread among People with HIV in U.S., Europe, and Africa
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- Category: HIV Treatment
- Published on Friday, 19 March 2010 13:57
- Written by Liz Highleyman
Low levels of vitamin D are common among HIV positive people around the world, especially in seasons when people get less sun exposure, according to a series of studies presented at the 17th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2010) last month in San Francisco. Vitamin D deficiency promotes bone loss and has been linked to conditions including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and vaginal inflammation.
Argos Therapeutics Reports Promising Phase 1 Data on AGS-004 Immunotherapy for HIV
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- Category: HIV Basic Science
- Published on Friday, 04 April 2008 14:09
- Written by Argos
Durham-based Argos Therapeutics this week announced promising results from an early (Phase 1) clinical trial of a novel type of individualized immune-based therapy for patients with HIV.
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