AIDS No fate with real antibodies?

Researchers have found antibodies that could kill nearly 90 percent of known AIDS viruses.

(11.07.2010) Researchers at a US institute in Bethesda discovered antibodies that could block almost 90 percent of known AIDS viruses. Today, in Western industrialized countries, a large proportion of those affected can lead an almost normal life through costly combination therapies, but in poorer countries, people are still vulnerable to AIDS. The new discovery is now fueling hopes of a rapid development of a vaccine against the immunodeficiency syndrome, which could be used worldwide without any problems.

The US researchers under the direction of dr. Peter D. Kwong, dr. John Mascola and dr. Gary Nabel had published the two studies that led to the findings in the journal "Science" of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, "Triple A-S" (AAAS).

Bethesda National Institute of Health's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) researchers in the blood of an AIDS-infected individual discovered two exceptionally strong, naturally occurring antibodies called VRC01 and VRC02 that prevented AIDS-causing viruses could invade cells. At the molecular level, the two probably make use of a vulnerability of HI viruses. There is a protein structure on the different types of viruses that is the same. This CD4 binding site (called CD4 binding site) normally uses HI virus to dock with and infect human immune cells. VRC01 and VRC02 are probably attached to this site, preventing HI virus from binding to immune cells.

One may be curious how the results of the NIH researchers will be answered at the 18th International AIDS Conference, which takes place in the week of 18-23 July in Vienna. Among other things, it will be discussed here how the long-term situation in the rich industrialized countries is being handled so that the pressure to receive and treat people with HIV infection from poorer countries is growing.

In terms of content, researchers from all over the world are rather cautiously euphoric, since it is assumed that it will take years to develop a drug and it is generally assumed that other measures are needed to strengthen the immune system against the tricky AIDS-causing viruses.
(Tf)

Picture: Rolf van Melis