HIV Therapy
Existing Prescription Drug Has Potential to Fight HIV
8 years ago
HIV-positive individuals can lead long, happy lives. They are, however, dependent on the prescription drugs that keep the infection at bay. This dependency is a lifelong one. Current therapies aid the immune system to contain the virus. If left alone, the immune system would soon be overwhelmed by the virus – thus the constant need for assistance. This was the fact that researchers focused on when examining the reaction of the immune system towards the virus when this prescription drug was applied. The results have many hopeful that in the near future, lifelong therapies will not be necessary to fight off or protect against infection.
What Prescription Drug?
The enzyme adenosine deaminase is the prescription drug getting the attention here. It already exists in the pharmaceutical world, and scientists are looking to repurpose it to target HIV. What the studies proved was that exposure to this enzyme empowered the immune system in a couple of different ways.
First, immune response was increased. Important CD4 and T cells hurried to the call and took care of the invading virus. The next observation was also impressive, as it showed an increase in memory for the T cells. Next time they encounter HIV, the cells will remember and be able to eliminate it from the host. This is crucial information for researchers investigating how to reduce treatment length. If the immune system can respond efficiently on its own, and then recall that response when threatened again, lifelong therapies may be done away with.
Should adenosine deaminase be able to boost the immune system to the point researchers have seen, it could mean better control of HIV infection. This control could also rely mostly on the immune system, with little fear of a reoccurring infection. Long-term management of the disease could see less dependency on antiretroviral therapies. It is hoped that further study and advocating for the prescription drug is expedited to help out in this regard.
Until the time comes when such medications are ready for use, though, it is vital for those with HIV to stick to their daily treatment routine in order to halt disease progression.
HIV and Stroke Are Linked – Long-Term Treatment Reduces Risk
8 years ago
HIV has long been connected with certain secondary conditions and complications. With treatment, some can be managed, and risks can be reduced. One surprising study has revealed a strong link between HIV and stroke. It had been noticed that the number of young individuals presenting with a stroke were HIV-positive. New studies have found definite ties between the two conditions.
The trend has been noted especially across much of the southern portion of Africa.
- Young adults reporting stroke had no history to suggest risk.
- For example, few had a history of high blood pressure, were obese, smoked, or had diabetes.
- Researchers found that in one study, almost half of the participants who had strokes were HIV positive.
- These individuals were all under 45 years old.
- Consistent with what was being seen, these patients also had no previous history that would suggest a high risk of stroke.
Another interesting piece of information that had been uncovered during the ongoing study was that those who had just started therapy for HIV had the highest risk of stroke. The risk declined after six months of treatment. Those who had been on the antiretroviral therapies for a while had a much lower risk of stroke. Medical personnel are eager to learn what the specific link is between the virus and stroke. Particularly alarming is the high risk during the first stages of the therapy.
What Does the HIV and Stroke Link Mean Globally?
While these findings were uncovered on the African continent, the link between HIV and stroke is definite. The findings here will have tremendous effects globally when it comes to HIV and its treatment.
There is clear evidence that continued treatment not only maintains health and controls the HIV infection, but also greatly reduces stroke risk. Bridging the gap between the starting point and less risk is now the main focus. Continued investigation is necessary at this juncture to find answers, and then come up with ways to protect patients until they are out of the high-risk category.
New Anti-HIV Drugs
10 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Therapy
New Anti-HIV Drugs: Research in Stopping AIDS
In December of 2013, researchers at the University of Minnesota published some very striking and uniformly positive findings in the fight against HIV. They discovered several compounds that uniquely targeted HIV cells. These compounds – ribonucleoside analogs 8-azaadenosine, formycin A, 3-deazauridine, 5-fluorocytidine and 2’-C-methylcytidine – stop HIV replication by blocking DNA synthesis. This is achieved by causing the HIV cells to drop their DNA load before they are ready to and not within blood cells. The compounds also cause the HIV cells to mutate so rapidly that the cells essentially mutate themselves into extinction. The findings were a surprise to most of the anti-HIV research community, because the compounds in question were not on anyone’s radar. In fact, they seemed to have no potential for stopping HIV. Another major benefit to these compounds is the low cost of synthesizing them into new anti-HIV drugs. This is always an important factor, as it lessens the burden for the future prevention and treatment of HIV.
In fact, this is what has been occurring over the past year. The new anti-HIV drugs, which were synthesized version of these compounds, have been introduced in tangent with currently approved HIV medications. So far, the reports have been positive. Although the drugs do not fully eradicate HIV from an infected person’s system, the new drugs can be used along with lower doses of more expensive medications. With this tandem approach, the infection is kept low and extremely manageable. Having a minimal viral load results in low immune activity and prevents the virus cells from spreading throughout the body. Because of this symptoms are virtually absent. This translates into lower costs for a lifelong regimen of anti-HIV medication, both for the individual patients and for health care systems worldwide.
New HIV Antibody
10 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Therapy
New HIV Antibody: Reveals New HIV Vulnerability
It has recently been discovered that a new HIV antibody, known as 35O22, binds itself to a spot on the HIV cell walls—one that was not previously recognized as a vulnerable location. This viral spike, which is located in an area straddling the proteins gp41 and gp120, is weak to the antibody. Because of this, 35O22 is able to bind to the HIV cell and actually neutralizes several strains of the virus. This new HIV antibody has many researchers cautiously hopeful, as the discovery could turn out to be extremely significant.
Over half of the known HIV strains, roughly 60 percent, are affected by the 35O22 antibody. In laboratory tests, moreover, the antibody actually prevented these strains of HIV from infecting other cells. More good news is that the antibody is very potent, which means only a small amount of the antibody is needed to neutralize the virus. After discovering 35O22, scientists and researchers have identified other 35O22-like antibodies that are common in groups of HIV-infected people. Indeed, their blood contains antibodies that could potentially neutralize most of the known HIV strains. This suggests that a vaccine could elicit 35O22 much easier than other less common bNAbs (Broadly Neutralizing HIV-1 Antibodies) – the grouping of antibodies 35O22 belongs in.
Researchers also report that the strains of HIV that 35O22 neutralizes compliments the strains neutralized by other bNAbs. This means that combining 35O22 with some of the other bNAbs in a vaccine, prevention treatment, or therapy could produce a single solution to the problem of HIV: the complete neutralization of the vast majority of HIV strains found around the globe. This new HIV antibody and the exposure of a new vulnerability in the HIV cell is therefore very significant. In fact, it could mean a potential cure for HIV by way of preventing all known strains of the virus from replicating.
Interferon in HIV Treatment
10 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Therapy
Interferon in HIV Treatment: It Still Has Its Place
Interferons (IFN) are cells that are naturally produced in the body to fight against viral infections. When working as intended, interferons ultimately ward off and destroy the virus in the body. In fact, they are the main natural defense against cold and flu viruses. One major downside to interferon, though, is the harmful effects they have on the body while fighting viruses. You know that achy, nauseous feeling you get when you have the flu? Many of the symptoms equated with the flu actually don’t come from the virus itself; it comes from the effects of your body’s production of interferon cells. Interferon creates an inflammation in the body as it works, causing the ache that you experience. This negative side effect is a major reason why researchers have abandoned general use of interferon in HIV treatment.
Though this medication was used for several years as the only treatment of hepatitis C, new medications that have fewer side effects, a higher rate of success, and a shorter regimen period have replaced interferon treatment. However, in an attempt to keep the benefits of interferon treatment, researchers are trying to eliminate the negative side effects of IFNs while still keeping its effective virus-attacking properties intact. The results were mixed.
Researchers were successful in eliminating a majority of the side effects of IFN therapies, but they learned that when the inflammation is removed it affects interferon’s efficacy against viruses. It was also learned that interferon in HIV treatment, if given shortly after exposure to HIV, can be very effective—this despite the fact that general IFN treatment is still not the most effective way to manage HIV. Thus, it is important to keep in mind the type of treatment that an HIV patient is administered, and the timing of the treatment.
