Tag: virus
Pathologists Find HIV Weakness
by andreas on Nov.20, 2008, under HIV/AIDS
Scanning electron micrograph of HIV-1 budding from cultured lymphocyte. Multiple round bumps on cell surface represent sites of assembly and budding of virions.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) researchers at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston believe they have uncovered the Achilles heel in the armor of the virus that continues to kill millions. The weak spot is hidden in the HIV envelope protein gp120, which is essential for HIV attachment to host cells.
The weak spot is hidden in the HIV envelope protein gp120. This protein is essential for HIV attachment to host cells, which initiate infection and eventually lead to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or AIDS. Normally the body’s immune defenses can ward off viruses by making proteins called antibodies that bind the virus. However, HIV is a constantly changing and mutating virus, and the antibodies produced after infection do not control disease progression to AIDS. For the same reason, no HIV preventative vaccine that stimulates production of protective antibodies is available.
Virus Strain Reportedly 10,000 Times More Effective At Destroying Cancer Than Traditional Chemotherapeutic Agents
by andreas on Nov.01, 2008, under Cancer
Researchers at the Scripps Institute Have Uncovered The Structure of the Senecavirus
Several years ago, the biotechnology firm Neotropix discovered the Senecavirus, a pathogen that is harmless to humans but capable of infecting some types of solid tumors. The company claims that the virus has been shown to exhibit cancer-destroying properties 10,000 times greater than those of traditional chemotherapeutic agents.
Recent research has found that the three-dimensional structure of the virus is unique, confirming its status as a new genus. According to associate professor Vijay Reddy of the Scripps Research Institute, the virus is entirely different than other picornaviruses such as the poliovirus and the rhinovirus family, which is responsible for the common cold. By understanding the virus’s structure, the researchers hope to learn how it works and to use it to treat cancer. Neotrophix is already studying the use of the virus to treat lung cancer.
