Scientists have isolated two genes which may prevent people from contracting HIV or at least slow the rate at which they develop AIDS, a new study has found.
The genes were isolated by comparing the genetic profiles of people in their first year of HIV infection with those who managed to resist infection despite repeated exposure to the virus.
The "good" versions of the two genes were present in 12.2 percent of those who resisted infection compared with only 2.7 of patients in primary HIV infection.
Researchers are not yet sure how this protection works.
One of the genes codes for a receptor on the surface of the immune system's natural killer cells which destroy infected cells in the body.
The other codes for a protein which binds the first gene and dampens the natural killer cell activity.
The most likely explanation is that HIV prevents the protein that dampens the killer cell activity from being expressed, allowing the killer cells to destroy cells infected with HIV.(keep reading)
1 comment:
there was preliminary research in this area several years ago trying to find out why some people progress so very slowly with the diesease and others don't - one of the findings went back to the plagues of the middle ages where some people died quickly, others recovered and still others seemed immune - research was done in an isolated medieval village which seemed to reveal that a certain gene was protection - if both parents had it, you didn't get sick, if one parent had it, you got sick but likely didnt die - this gene was transported over time and some folks think that it is going to be the ultimate answer - I have a friend who has lived 25 years with aids, and others who have passed in relatively short time - it is a fascinating research and I look foreward to a time when this disease in particular is behind us
Post a Comment