AIDS – French scientists find mechanism for spontaneous HIV cure

www.biznews.com ^ | 11-04-2014 | Staff

[Red Badger]

t’s the holy grail of HIV and AIDS research: the search for a cure for the virus that attacks the immune system, allowing life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive. Significant strides have been made with pharmaceutical drugs – antiretrovirals – that help those diagnosed as HIV positive to manage their condition, and live longer, healthier lives. But so far, a cure has proved elusive. Now French scientists believe they have uncovered the genetic path by which two men were spontaneously cured of the HI virus. They believe it’s an exciting discovery which could offer a new strategy in the ongoing global fight against AIDS. MS

HIV/AIDSPARIS, France – French scientists have unveiled the genetic mechanism by which they believe two men were spontaneously cured of HIV, and said the discovery may offer a new strategy in the fight against AIDS.

In both asymptomatic men, the AIDS-causing virus was inactivated due to an altered HIV gene coding integrated into human cells, the scientists write in the journal Clinical Microbiology and Infection.

This, in turn, was likely due to stimulation of an enzyme that may in future be targeted for drug treatment to induce the same response, they said.

“This finding represents an avenue for a cure,” study co-author Didier Raoult of the French Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) told Agence France-Presse.

Neither of the men, one diagnosed HIV positive 30 years ago and the other in 2011, has ever been ill, and the AIDS-causing virus cannot be detected with routine tests of their blood.

In both, the virus was unable to replicate due to DNA coding changes that the researchers proposed were the result of a spontaneous evolution between humans and the virus that is called “endogenisation”.

“We propose that HIV cure may occur through HIV endogenisation in humans,” they write. “We believe that the persistence of HIV DNA can lead to cure, and protection, from HIV.”

The approach hitherto has been the opposite: to try and clear all traces of HIV from human cells.

The teams said they did not believe the two patients were unique or that the phenomenon was new.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Does this mean that a cure is eminent?

[Texas Eagle]

Too bad there's not some way to prevent HIV/AIDS.

(now where did I put that sarcasm tag?)

[Blue Jays]

Wow, this is likely good news for similar issues that can be traced to autoimmune problems, like juvenile diabetes, for example.

[Chad_the_Impaler]

“We propose that HIV cure may occur through HIV endogenisation in humans,” they write. “We believe that the persistence of HIV DNA can lead to cure, and protection, from HIV.”

i.e. the two subjects are human-HIV hybrids.

[DIRTYSECRET]

That would mean there’s a cure for cancer

[Blood of Tyrants]

imminent.

[ElkGroveDan]

It would be good news, but I can’t even remember how many of these stories (we have a cure in theory, we just need to work out the details) I’ve read over the years.

[AppyPappy]

That’s promising for a lot of other diseases as well.

[Vaquero]

they found the cure on South Park...grind paper money into infinitesimally small pieces and inject it...that’s how the Magic Johnson was ‘cured’.

[null and void]

More good news!

Bring out your dead! The Dark Man cometh! Bring out your dead! The Dark Man cometh! Bring out your......

(Since all records of obama's past were lost in a tragic boating accident and fire, no one can be certain that the guy in the red circle isn't him...)

Post to me or FReep mail to be on/off the Bring Out Your Dead ping list.

The purpose of the “Bring Out Your Dead” ping list (formerly the “Ebola” ping list) is very early warning of emerging pandemics, as such it has a high false positive rate.

So far the false positive rate is 100%.

At some point we may well have a high mortality pandemic, and likely as not the “Bring Out Your Dead” threads will miss the beginning entirely.

*sigh* Such is life, and death...

[MrB]

Allergies, even...

[Wyrd bið ful aræd]

There is actually a way to prevent yourself from catching HIV in the first place! Shocking, I know...

[CrazyIvan]

“It would be good news, but I can’t even remember how many of these stories (we have a cure in theory, we just need to work out the details) I’ve read over the years.”

Flying cars are back in the news also I see.

[DUMBGRUNT]

Billions for AIDS!!

Pennies for ebola!

Keeping your pants on will prevent AIDS; Ebola, not so much.

[Red Badger]

One can only hope........................

[boomop1]

Right after the enema,

[RipSawyer]

“(now where did I put that sarcasm tag?)”
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
It melted and dripped down.

[Dallas59]

Snake oil. They don’t know diddly.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

i.e. the two subjects are human-HIV hybrids.

Just don't lead them to any gigantic cells. They might be able to use them to clone themselves hundreds of times.