Posts tagged antiretroviral therapy
New Potential Route to a Cure for HIV/AIDS
9 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Management
So much of the early research in finding a cure for HIV pointed towards the virus’s ability to lie dormant in the immune system of a host’s body, and scientists started believing a cure for the virus was impossible. Many decided, with this idea, to only focus their research on stopping the replication process of the virus cells and maintaining a healthy state of those infected. Some, though, still try novel ways to eliminate this difficult virus, as it can stay undetectable for years and suddenly resurface and eradicate the infected person’s immune system. In fact, one group of researchers has made some wonderful discoveries about which cells in the body the virus hides, once again paving a potential route to a cure for HIV. Most have concluded that the cells HIV usually hides in are our CD4 cells – also known as helper T cells – and since these are integral for our immune system to do its job, there was little we could do to eliminate the virus from those cells and the body as a whole. Surprisingly, this group of researchers has found another type of cell in which the virus may hide, one that is much more vulnerable to medical treatment and manipulation.
The research was lead by the Yerkes National Primate Research Center, in Emory University, as it involved monkeys that were infected by Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV), which is essentially a sister virus to HIV that affects primates. Researchers examined these primates before and after infection, and in some they removed the helper T cells that many believe is the main focus for HIV’s attack. When they were removed, the virus cells attacked immune system cells called macrophages, which naturally have a much shorter lifespan than helper T cells. This is significant because the three-day lifespan of the macrophages is much less than an average helper T cell, meaning it would be difficult for the HIV cells to lie dormant for their required few weeks (minimum) to continue their replication process. This possible route to a cure for HIV means that we can now think of different methods to eradicate HIV, and no longer be bound to only the antiretroviral medications currently used to keep it at bay.
Possible New HIV Therapies with the Discovery of Viral Insertion Variants
9 years ago
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has the ability to attach its DNA to the host’s immune system’s DNA and manipulate the host cells to continue its replication process. This ultimately kills the affected cells, destroying the host’s immune system along the way. Researchers had long ago discovered that the HIV protein integrase is responsible for the HIV’s cell’s ability to attach itself to a host cell’s DNA, but for over twenty years they were not able to learn how this process actually happened. New discoveries into this process have shown that new HIV therapies are possible, because they are now attempting to retarget the entry points of the initial HIV cells, and thus weaken the virus’s ability to replicate so rapidly.
Researchers at KU Leuven’s Laboratory for Molecular Virology and Gene Therapy have learned that two amino acids are responsible for the integrase’s integration of the viral DNA to the host DNA. “HIV integrase is made up of a chain of more than 200 amino acids folded into a structure,” says Jonas Demeulemeester, one of the doctoral researchers working on this project. These amino acids, which are all folded in on each other, manipulate themselves in such a way that only two of the amino acids come into direct contact with the host’s DNA, and this becomes the initial entry point of the HIV cell.
The process of how HIV links to a host cell’s DNA is similar to related animal-borne viruses. Using this model to look at the animal-borne viruses, the researchers were able to learn that by manipulating and re-targeting the amino acids that make up the integrase they can cause the HIV cells to enter the host’s DNA at variant points. They learned that some entry points are more susceptible to a rapid replication and destruction of the host cells, and at the same time there are “safer” entry points of the host’s DNA which cause for a very slow and manageable reproduction rate of the viral cells. Now possible new HIV therapies exist because of this discovery, as we can now target the individual amino acids within the viral DNA, hopefully manipulating them into extinction.
Low Risk of Birth Defects
9 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV and Pregnancy
Low Risk of Birth Defects: HIV and Antiretroviral Medication
With new compounds and therapies expanding what can be done for individuals living with HIV, more and more infected women are looking towards pregnancy and childbirth. The combination of pregnancy and the latest antiviral medications is always a cause of concern, as we often don’t have enough data to make a definitive decision on whether a certain medicine should be given to an individual while pregnant. We also need to know when it is most likely for a mother to infect her infant, and which medicines are best at keeping the rate of infection low. Certainly, many antiretroviral drugs developed in the fight against HIV have been thought to increase the potential of birth defects in the unborn children. A new study, however, shows the opposite. Indeed, it confirms a low risk of birth defects by antiretroviral medications used during pregnancy.
This study – the Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study (PHACS) Surveillance Monitoring of ART Toxicities (SMARTT) study – released its findings on 10 November 2014. Atazanavir was the only antiretroviral drug that was shown to increase the otherwise low risk of birth defects among HIV-positive women. This medication showed a 2-fold increase in the risk of birth defects, particularly musculoskeletal and skin anomalies. However, another study confirmed that at least three varied regimens of anti-HIV medications—that did not include atazanavir—was safe for women who are expecting. In fact, all other antiretroviral, anti-HIV medications tested in these studies showed no increase in the risk of birth defects. This is great news for HIV infected women who still want to become mothers. With the risks of infecting their child minimal, and the side effects almost non-existent, the hopes of researchers are high that we will find ways to altogether eliminate the transfer of HIV between mother and child.
Alternative HIV Regimens
9 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Research
Alternative HIV Regimens: For Those Unable to Use Efavirenz
The most commonly prescribed HIV therapies includes efavirenz, which is one of the key ingredients in stopping the spread of HIV cells through the body and keeping the immune system functioning and optimal. Efavirenz is never prescribed alone, however in combination with other anti-HIV drugs it has proven to have the greatest overall results in keeping the HIV viral load down and the immune response minimal. Unfortunately, the side effects can prevent some people from taking efavirenz. The adverse effects can include insomnia, nightmares, confusion, memory loss, headaches and depression. Along with these psychiatric disorders, efavirenz has also been known to cause birth defects in children whose mothers used the drug. Because of these consequences, it is highly recommended that anybody who suffers from certain psychiatric conditions, or any woman who believes they are pregnant, or are trying to pregnant, should not take efavirenz. Luckily, for patients who are HIV positive and unable to take efavirenz, there are alternative HIV regimens found to be effective in keeping the virus under control and unable to attack the immune system.
Researchers at the AIDS Clinic Trials Group (ACTG), have conducted a Phase III, randomized study of regimens which do not use efavirenz. They studied three different therapies given to over 1,800 HIV positive adults. The results were uniformly positive. The in-depth study closely followed the participants for 96 weeks. At the end of the study, it was ascertained that all three regimens were effective in keeping the viral loads down and keeping the immune systems healthy. There were variations in how easily patients were able to withstand any negative effects of the drugs while still gaining all of the positive effects. One regimen was clearly superior in this category – the raltegravir-based therapy – but all three were reasonable for lifelong medical regimens. These alternative HIV regimens that are effective in patients not eligible for efavirenz has provided another outlet of hope for first line defense against HIV infection.
HIV Infected Stimulant Users
9 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Research
HIV Infected Stimulant Users: Treatment Benefits
Some studies in the mid 90’s pointed to evidence that stimulants – such as cocaine or methamphetamine – were causing the antiretroviral therapy to be less effective against HIV. For example, HIV infected stimulant users were developing AIDS more frequently than non-using infected. The most recent studies, however, have shown that this evidence was misleading, and that antiretroviral medication does indeed have the same effects on stimulant users and non-users. The evidence was not taking into account the difficulty many stimulant users, especially those who abused these kinds of drugs, have had to obtain their needed medication. Much of this stemmed from a belief that users of these kinds of drugs would also abuse the antiretroviral medication, or would not take the medication properly.
The new data, collected between 1996 and 2012, shows that stimulant users frequently take their medication at the proper intervals, even when they are unable to lessen or stop their respective stimulant substance. This proved that not only do these infected take their medication as directed, the effects of the medication are nearly identical to non-using infected patients. The concern that still lingers concerning HIV infected stimulant users, however, is the spread of the disease due to their drug-related activities. The latest study, out of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (an ongoing study of HIV infected men who have sex with men), has concluded that the biggest focus researchers should now have when dealing with HIV infected stimulant users is education and prevention. One thing the study noticed is that stimulant users are more likely to be open and forthright with their physician—if that doctor is a specialist in HIV and infectious diseases (as opposed to a general physician or one who specializes in drug use and abuse). Even when the patients are not ready to go to a group or doctor for help with their drug habits, they are ready to work with an HIV specialist to ensure their life with HIV is as healthy as possible.
