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Researchers Modify T-Cells, Make Them HIV Resistant

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the changing-the-locks dept.

DieNadel writes to share that naturally occurring proteins called "zinc fingers" are being used in a new approach to AIDS treatment. Using modified T-Cells with the zinc fingers, researchers at the Pennsylvania School of Medicine have shown a reduction in viral load in mice. "'By inducing mutations in the CCR5 gene using zinc finger proteins, we've reduced the expression of CCR5 surface proteins on T cells, which is necessary for the AIDS virus to enter these immune system cells,' explains first author Elena Perez, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Penn. 'This approach stops the AIDS virus from entering the T cells because it now has an introduced error into the CCR5 gene.'"

11 of 171 comments (clear)

  1. law of unintended consequences... by conspirator57 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    what *else* do these surface proteins on the T cell do?

    maybe there is something those altered structures do that we will miss when they stop performing their function...

    not everything in the body is superfluous like the appendix or wisdom teeth.

    --
    "If still these truths be held to be
    Self evident."
    -Edna St. Vincent Millay
    1. Re:law of unintended consequences... by wizardforce · · Score: 3, Insightful

      whatever function they have, it's probably not as important as not dying of AIDS

      --
      Sigs are too short to say anything truly profound so read the above post instead.
    2. Re:law of unintended consequences... by digitrev · · Score: 3, Insightful

      It would appear that way. That doesn't mean they are superfluous. This needs years of research and long term trials before this will be marketable. When you're fucking with the immune system, you better be goddamn sure you're not fucking with the wrong thing.

      --
      Cynical Idealist
    3. Re:law of unintended consequences... by wizardforce · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Upon what data do you base that assumption?

      considering the kind of death that is in store for someone who is severely immuno-compromised, the adverse effects from this treatment would need to be pretty bad to be considered worse. that and there isn't any convincing evidence to my knowledge that this method is any worse than doing nothing to mitigate the effects of an HIV infection which doesn't mean that there can't be any that we don't know about, it means that we would need more testing- in any case, dismissing this out of hand before determining its effectiveness/safety relative to other treatments is foolish at best.

      --
      Sigs are too short to say anything truly profound so read the above post instead.
  2. This is probably good news by Whuffo · · Score: 4, Insightful
    HIV is a polymorphic virus - it changes its "shape" often, making vaccines difficult / impossible to create. Sure, they can create a vaccine for variation 32b, but there's a bunch of variants and new ones show up from time to time. A nice simple AIDS vaccine that you can give to kids is - as far as we know at this time - impossible.


    But this technology may provide a way to defend against this virus. By changing the "shape" of our T-cells it will prevent the virus from recognizing its target. This would render it ineffective and be effective against the numerous variants.

    Of course, this is still early in the development cycle. There's always the chance of unintended consequences...

  3. Re:So what? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I know this is offtopic to the article, but ontopic to the parent post.

    Just because the Mayans calendar ended then means what exactly? They didn't even invent, let alone UTILIZE the wheel...

    I'm glad this was modded funny and not informative, every time someone says this I die a little inside...

  4. Re:Messin around with T-Cells a bad thing? by TooMuchToDo · · Score: 3, Insightful
    But what happens when one partner is unfaithful, contracts AIDS, and passes it on to the faithful partner?

    What happens when someone with AIDS rapes someone?

    What happens when someone with AIDS passes it along to their unborn child (a rare occasion now due to modern medicine)?

    Get off your high horse tool. Some people are infected not because of their behavior, but fate. A fix should be available for them, as well as everyone else infected.

  5. Re:Zinc you say? by tsotha · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I knew all those old pennies would come in handy for something.

  6. Re:So what? by thePowerOfGrayskull · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I know this is offtopic to the article, but ontopic to the parent post.

    Don't apologize... it's the way discussions are supposed to work. Too bad that more mods don't realize it.

    This post is, sadly, only tangentally ontopic since I'm replying to something that wasn't the main point of your poost. Alas.

  7. Re:Messin around with T-Cells a bad thing? by Free+the+Cowards · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I guess when Isaac Asimov was infected with HIV from a contaminated blood transfusion he deserved to get sick and die!

    --
    If you mod me Overrated, you are admitting that you have no penis.
  8. Best Science Solution EVER!!! by LostMyBeaver · · Score: 2, Insightful

    For years I've heard of HIV research focusing on either slowing the spread of HIV or focusing on killing the virus.

    This solution instead makes it so the virus will have no effect. I would imagine that a HIV infected victim that has not been vacinated should even be able to receive immunized T-cell injections or even pill supplements.

    The approach to this problem just reminds me of the kid that suggested letting the air out of the tires of the bus stuck in the tunnel. Of course it's obviously much more technical to modify T-cells in laboratories, but the beauty of the approach is equally elegant