Friday 6 July 2012

Side Chapter: Forms of HIV immunity/resistance


Abstract - This interview actually concurs the concept of innate immunity to HIV. The interviewee, Jay Levy from the University of California talks about a particular aspect of the cellular immune response known as CD8 cell antiviral factor which he believes play an important role in successfully suppress the viral load of HIV thereby limiting its progress. He also discuss the possibility that drug manufacturing companies could perhaps develop a vaccine that could induce similar effects on infected HIV-positive patients.

Abstract -- This articles shows that the innate immunity that some people have may be due to a genetic defect that result in the absence of  CCR5 receptor, the receptor that HIV take advantage of to gain entrance into a host cell. Interestingly, individuals who inherited a pair of the defected genes display apparent immunity to HIV infection. While individuals who inherited only one of the defected gene are not completely immune to HIV infection, they display greater resistance to the progression of the virus. 

Abstract -- This article attributed the ability to keep the virus load in check to the ability of the immune system killer T cells to recognize infected cells. Through a series of experiments, researchers have found that the underlying ability of these HIV controllers (people who are able to naturally suppress the viral load) may have to do with the unique protein sequence of the killer T cell receptors. The researcher also discuss about the possibility of developing a vaccine that could induce the production of these effective killer T cells.

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