In a breakthrough that could potentially lead to a cure for HIV infection, scientists have discovered a way to remove the virus from infected cells. The scientists engineered an enzyme which attacks the DNA of the HIV virus and cuts it out of the infected cell, according to the study published in Science magazine.
The enzyme is still far from being ready to use as a treatment, the authors warned, but it offers a glimmer of hope for the more than 40 million people infected worldwide.
The researchers engineered an enzyme called Tre which removes the virus from the genome of infected cells by recognizing and then recombining the structure of the virus’s DNA.
That enzyme was able to eliminate the HIV virus from infected human cells in about three months in the laboratory.
An additional benfit to basic research like this is that – if successful – it might be possible to adapt the method to other viral ailments.
Very interesting stuff. Good find.
Amazing! There’s nothing more I’d like to see in my lifetime than the cure for a deadly disease like AIDS. Well, maybe extraterrestrial visitors.. and until now, I was beginning to believe that would happen first. Hope springs!
This could potentially work out as a cure for any lysogenic virus, (that is, most chronic viral diseases) given two things. One, that the enzyme can be adapted to other DNA sequences. Two, that the enzyme doesn’t chop up your own DNA in the process! It’s no good to be cured of AIDS, only to die of cancer three years later.
#4 – “that the enzyme doesn’t chop up your own DNA in the process!”
That is the most incredible news I have heard in a while – but still a lot of research will be needed so that the super enzyme is super-selective. It can be disastrous if it were to chop off essential part of your genome. All the say, great news.
Good news indeed! But, sadly, I’m skeptical of any news regarding treatments/cures/vaccines for HIV. I turned 18 in 1980, in Los Angeles, and I lost a lot of friends, co-workers, etc. over the years. I was attending UCLA when Rock Hudson died in the hospital there.
I’ve been involved, off and on, with the search for an AIDS cure, and even participated as a volunteer subject in a vaccine medial trial. There have been so many false hopes that it resembles cold fusion.
Even if this is the answer, we are looking at 10 years as a minimum before actual treatment of patients begins. While I’m not in need of it, (thank Dog), by that time, my chances of getting any sexually transmitted disease will be pretty nil.
Oh, and
#2, how do you know that the HIV virus is NOT an alien life form?
#3, it will most likely start out that way. But even in medicine, things can get cheaper when scaled up. Bypass the AMA and the trial lawyers, and it just might stand a chance.
David
Pastor Phelps will have to come up with new slogans.
2 – There’s nothing more I’d like to see in my lifetime than the cure for a deadly disease like AIDS.
So, Peace on Earth doesn’t sound appealing anymore? 😉
Now the CIA will have to engineer a new disease to oppress the blacks of the world.
Now wait just a gall darn minute here!!!
Man has found cure for God’s hellish plague on homosexuals?
This is great news. Any knowledge gained from this research can be put to use finding treatments and vaccines for ebola, malaria, and even bird flu.
#11 – JimR – Yeah…God is pissed. He is going to be forced to revert back to raining frogs and locust plagues. Stupid hairless monkeys with their freewill and increasing intelligence! Whose idea was it to give them freewill? Gabriel? Michael? Haniel? Someone better step up and take the blame.
#12 – This is great news. Any knowledge gained from this research can be put to use finding treatments and vaccines for ebola, malaria, and even bird flu.
Not to mention, HIV…
…and herpes.
#15 – (Homer voice) Mmmmmm Herrrrpes
#16
I remember reading Time Magazine once and it said that 1 in 3 Americans has Herpes, how true is that?
#11 Hail Satan!!! 😉 Seriously – my gods, I hope this is legit. Even if it doesn’t pan out for HIV, maybe the same concept could cure some other viral infections. I’m no geneticist, so I don’t fully understand the likelihood of this working, but from a laymen’s perspective, Right On Science!!! It sounds good to me. Even if it doesn’t work but points researchers in the right direction, that’s good, too.
#13 Free will? …that would have been ME!! (well, actually, evolution…)
Great story, by the way. I do likes me some good news for the world every once in a while. The potential of the human will and mind is amazing.
#17 – It’s very true (although the real number isn’t so bad… more like 1 in 4)
What is interesting about HSV-1 is the number of Americans (and in fact the numbers are similar or higher globally) who have Herpes which they contracted as a child, mostly through non-sexual contact.
HSV-2 is harder to contract but HSV-1 is contactable through saliva and many people are unaware that cold sores are herpes. So for many years, parents and aunts and uncles with herpes would kiss a child and transmit the virus.
Note: If you occassionally get cold sores, you have herpes. Period.
HSV-1 is… Well, 99.9% harmless. There are a few fatal side effects but they are so rare as to be statistically zero. You stand a better chance of seeing me vote Republican than to be harmed by herpes.
While HSV-2 (genital herpes) is sometimes painful and a bit more difficult to live with, HSV-1 (which doctors used to call The Middle Class STD) is very hard to take seriously as an STD. Although, it should be noted the HSV-1 can be found genitally, so the old notion of oral and genital herpes is not so accurate anymore.
Thanks for reading about herpes today. Come back next week when we delve into the exciting world of psorosis. 🙂
Well , let the researches continue to do their thing until it becomes really operational .
I am tired of hearing about such hopeful news . Just hope some Hiv patients will not give up their therapies because of such researches.
yes it sounds good but ppl dont only have no faith at times me i have to learn to be open minded because this hiv is very real and here to stay if money keeps getting in the way of treatment
I am very great to heair this news, and i really want to see my brother CURE from hiv . Is the team of science Real FOUND CURE for HIV then i would bring him to conduct treatment there. thank you and best regard and hope you will inform me back