Posts tagged HIV therapy
HIV and Bacteria
9 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Management
HIV and Bacteria: Good and Bad Bacteria in the Body
The fact that our bodies are carriers of bacteria is not something we like to think about, but it is a fact of life. Some of these bacteria, however, are healthy, and actually work to our advantage. In the case of HIV and bacteria, some can actually fight transmission of HIV between partners. There are other good bacteria colonies in the body that prevent the transmission of STDs. Of course, with the spread of STDs on the rise, it’s questionable why these bacteria aren’t as effective anymore. There are several reasons for this.
For one thing, we alter the good bacteria by sometimes inadvertently destroying it; at other times, by simply inhibiting its ability to do its job. Some of the things that researchers are looking into are the effects that various medications, contraceptives and douche solutions have on good bacteria found around and in our sexual organs. Antibiotics, for example, attack both good and bad bacteria, which is why they may cause digestive issues.
In the case of HIV, good bacteria can actually fight the transmission of the virus between partners. If someone has HIV, good bacteria can help antiretroviral treatment take effect. Conversely, in the case where good bacteria are not present—or worse, taken over by “bad” bacteria—the disease then may worsen. Or, it can make a person may be more prone to sexually transmitted diseases and other infections. When the bacteria in the body are out of balance, antiretroviral drugs may not be as effective as well. It’s a delicate balance that our bodies maintain.
So what can you do to ensure that your body’s defenses are at their best? This has to do with improving one’s health and making smart, healthy lifestyle choices. Eating a healthy diet, exercising, and getting proper sleep are all vital to maintain the body’s delicate balance. Eliminating bad habits like smoking are also vital to maintaining proper immune system health.
To a great degree, a body’s ability to fight disease is the result of how well it’s been taken care of. This makes it vital to educate young people about good health practices. In the case of HIV and bacteria, and its role in reducing transmission, it’s important to treat your body right. When you do, your body will return the favor by doing its best to fight off disease.
HIV to Treat HIV
9 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Research
HIV To Treat HIV: HIV ‘Cut and Paste’
Researchers recently applied the idea of ‘cut and paste’ to something completely different than word processing on their computers: the treatment of HIV. Of course, most of us use ‘cut-and-paste’ on a regular basis, whether for emails, documents, or filling in information. Certainly, it is a function that comes in handy. However, this cutting-edge technique could mean really big changes on the HIV battlefield. What we are talking about is using HIV to treat HIV. Obviously, this is an exciting idea. But, how does this process work? Moreover, how will this be beneficial in HIV treatment?
Within our cells are proteins, which are used to perform a variety of tasks. One of these proteins acts like a pair of scissors. It cuts away at the genome, grabbing and separating bits of information. The cell can then use the information as needed. For scientists, these natural ‘scissors’ can be used to help patch up damaged cells. The damaged cells, specifically those infected with HIV, have genetic bits of information missing. In order to patch up these holes, the ‘scissors’ could cut out patches from the virus and then use this to patch up the damaged cells. In effect, parts of the HIV would be cut away to repair the damage done by the disease. This may sound far-fetched, but recent testing gives reason for optimism.
HIV has been studied for nearly three decades and it may seem ironic to use HIV to treat HIV. However, it is a promising point of attack in the fight against HIV and AIDS, especially as this therapy looks particularly sound in the area of strengthening the immune system. Assisting the body to not only resist attack—but also to fend it off in such a manner—would be a big step in the fight against HIV. Should the cut and paste method prove successful, there may be other infections that could also be treated or prevented using similar methods.
HIV Adaptation
9 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Research
HIV Adaptation: Three Decades On
Ongoing studies of how new treatments are performing against HIV are a mainstay of research. Ideas and theories for new treatments and vaccines are continually being studied and debated. Now, three decades since HIV broke onto the scene in North America, one group decided it was time for an investigation into two different areas: First, to find out just how the virus adapts to humans and, second, to see if the virus has changed since it was first introduced. The idea required extensive research on HIV adaptation and it also involved considerable back tracking. However, the effort paid off.
How HIV responds to current drug therapies has been well documented. However, exactly how HIV adapts to its host, humans, has never before been looked into. Going back nearly thirty years, and retrieving important molecular information on HIV, was a tedious task. Nevertheless, in spite of the challenges, the team found what they needed. Based on these findings, it is clear that HIV has adapted over the last couple of decades to humans. What was the process involved? And, what does it mean for us today?
First, the virus infects the host and begins to multiply. This process does not go unnoticed by the host’s immune system, which then immediately dispatches help. This internal fight helps keep the virus in check. Current drug therapies help too. After years of fighting, the immune system can tire out. As time passes, and the virus becomes accustomed to its host, it also begins to adapt to the onslaught brought on by the immune system. After enough time passes, the invader can become quite adept at evading the immune attacks. This is very bad for the host, who has lost the ability to naturally protect itself from the virus.
HIV adaptation has begun, but at this point, the adaptation has been minor. In fact, these changes are so minimal that researchers are confident that current therapies, and vaccines in development, will still be effective. Knowing that the virus can adapt and change is important, as researchers will remain alert to this and adjust research and strategies accordingly.
Protein Mechanism That Inhibits HIV
9 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Research
Protein Mechanism That Inhibits HIV: SAMHD 1
The number of different functions a single cell carries out is staggering. New systems and operations continuously come to light, as researchers dig deeper into the profound workings of living things. This search has exposed a process within human cells that may prove useful in the fight against HIV. Current HIV treatments target the virus itself along with the proteins therein. What time has shown, however, is that these change and mutate. What is needed is a protein mechanism that inhibits HIV but doesn’t mutate. The new findings could do just this, as they could aid in developing new treatments that target human molecules that are not known or likely to mutate.
Within the cell, certain building blocks are used to make up new strands of DNA. These are nucleotides. When HIV infects a host cell, it sends two strands of RNA into the cell. These strands must be changed to DNA, in order for the infection to take place. However, before this task can be completed, nucleotides are necessary. It was found that a certain protein found in human cells is responsible for the amount of nucleotides present in that cell. Experiments have been done to map out the workings of the protein labeled SAMHD 1. Mechanisms have been identified that can trigger a sort of emptying of nucleotides from the cell. When this happens, there is no way for HIV to infect the cell.
Researchers are looking into developing inhibitors that can reduce the amounts of SAMHD 1 and therefore limit how many nucleotides reside in certain immune cells. If this protein mechanism that inhibits HIV is successful, a new generation of HIV therapy will be born. Should this happen, new treatments will be available that could be immune to mutations. Applying this science to other infections is another possibility too. Preventing infection and spread of HIV would go a long way to advancing us in the battle against the persistent virus.
Immune-Suppressing Therapies
9 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Therapy
HIV and Immune-Suppressing Therapies Hold Promise for Cure
The success of current HIV therapies has not gone unnoticed. Thanks to the antiviral drugs commonly prescribed to HIV-positive patients, overall well-being and length of life has been greatly improved. A slowing in the progression of the disease has helped many people to go on to lead full, happy and relatively healthy lives. However, a complete HIV cure still eludes researchers. HIV remains in the body, even though infection is controlled. Immune response to the lingering infection causes inflammation and this can lead to other issues. Because of this reality, it was decided that a different approach using immune-suppressing therapies might shed some light on how this problem could be better handled.
By combining expertise in different fields, researchers became aware of exciting new information. By closely following and monitoring patients who had recent kidney transplants and who were also HIV-positive, they found that certain transplant drugs may hold the key to better manage HIV. The immune-suppressing drugs given to transplant patients are used to ensure that the new organ is not rejected. Researchers monitoring the number of HIV infected cells in the blood, noted that levels were reduced over time when taking these drugs. This finding is different from what is normally seen in routine HIV treatments. This decrease in HIV persistence is prompting further investigation.
Specific drug therapies were found to be particularly good at reducing the amounts of HIV found in the blood. These commonly prescribed treatments will be studied in order to learn more of how they work and their potential for completely eradicating HIV from the system. If the research proves that these immune altering drugs are effective, an HIV cure could well be in reach. Researchers are optimistic that, if nothing else, immune-suppressing therapies will help to better manage HIV and reduce some of the complications associated with the infection.
