Important Science News from Israel

[Guest shiloh357]

Scientists Discover How HIV Short-Circuits Immune Cells

(This was also reported in Arutz Sheva: Israel National News.)

Israeli scientists at Rechovot's Weizmann Institute have determined

how the HIV virus disables the natural response of immune cells. And

how it can be harnessed to treat other autoimmune disorders.

In research published yesterday in the Journal of Clinical

Investigation, a team at the Weizmann Institute of Science has shown

how a part of a protein on the virus' outer surface interferes with

the cells' normal immune response. But their work may have wider

implications: this molecular fragment, which has such a devastating

effect in the case of HIV, might turn out to be an effective

component of future treatment for autoimmune disorders, such as

rheumatoid arthritis.

Many scientists believe that the HIV virus fusing with and hijacking

immune cells (T-cells) was sufficient to destroy the ability of these

cells to call up immune support. But Weizmann Institute scientists

Prof. Yechiel Shai of the Biological Chemistry Department, Prof. Irun

Cohen of the Immunology Department, and graduate students Francisco

Quintana and Doron Gerber thought there must be more to the story.

T-cells identify invaders using receptors, like security antennae, on

their outer walls. A virus, especially one with its own surface

equipment for seeking out specific T cells, would be hard-pressed to

slip past these receptors without raising the alarm, the scientists

surmised. Therefore, they assumed, the virus must be able to actively

disable some part of the immune cell's system.

They investigated a peptide fragment called FP (fusion peptide), a

segment of the HIV protein. FP was known to play a role in the

complex process in which the viral envelope fuses with the cell

membrane in the initial stage of cell infection. The researchers

suspected that FP, which is only exposed for a short period during

this process, may have enough time to affect the immune response, as

well. Indeed, they found that FP locks on to several proteins on the

cell walls that are involved in invoking a large-scale immune

response, effectively shutting them down.

From their new understanding of how a tiny virus can gain control of

the body's immune response, the scientists made an intuitive leap. In

autoimmune diseases, the same T-cells that play host to HIV viruses

are overactive, mistakenly attacking the body's cells instead of

foreign invaders. If the viruses use FPs to override the cells' call

for help, could their actions, which block one type of immune

response without killing the cell, be applied to these autoimmune

diseases?

To check their theory, the research team tested FP on rats suffering

from an autoimmune syndrome similar to human rheumatoid arthritis,

and on cultured human T-cells. As they predicted, the rats treated

with FP showed a significant reduction in joint swelling and other

symptoms of arthritis.

Prof. Shai points out that using FP, a tiny piece of a piece of the

HIV virus, would pose no danger to patients, as it lacks any ability

to either infect cells or to reproduce. Rather, as the scientists

note in their paper, the study of a destructive virus may contain

important lessons on how to regulate the immune system.

"Perhaps," says Prof. Cohen, "we humans can adopt the virus peptide

to better control overactive autoimmunity."

"Gamla Shall Not Fall Again!!"

www.gamla.org.il

[nebula]

And the world says we don't need Israel . . .

Thanks for the info, Shiloh! Hopefully, I can use this.

[nebula]

"Gamla Shall Not Fall Again!!"

www.gamla.org.il

OK . . . where did you find the English version?

I tried the address, and it's all in Hebrew!

[Guest shiloh357]

OK . . . where did you find the English version?

[other one]

Thanks Shilo, My wife has M.S. and this may well be part of the answer for a long term fix for this problem....

[nebula]

Gracias, Shiloh!

[angels4u]

Thats amazing news.....

Tx for sharing , Angels