Aa
Closing the back door on HCV and AIDS
Excerpt from the Hindu:
Australian scientists have determined the structure of a key enzyme that could facilitate the understanding of how deadly viruses like HIV and Hepatitis C infect the human body.
A team of researchers led by Melbourne University scientist Spencer Williams and Gideon Davies from U.K.-based University of York studied the bacterial endomannosidase as a model for the same human enzyme and successfully determined its three-dimensional structure using state-of-the-art synchrotron technology.
The finding, published in the international journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is expected to pave way for a significant advancement in the understanding of how these viruses hijack human enzymes to reproduce and cause diseases, leading to development of new drugs to combat them.
“In past the problem has been that these group of viruses including HIV, Hepatitis C, Dengue fever and West Nile virus were able to bypass the main pathway if inhibited and replicate via a second pathway using this enzyme. Thus for an effective treatment, both pathways need to be blocked,” Williams said.
Another researcher Davies said the team hopes that the findings will go beyond the study of viruses and will point the way towards similar treatments for other diseases including cancer.
More detailed info from the University Melbourne website and Science Daily respectively:
Enzyme structure opens the door to HIV and Hepatitis C treatment: New study
http://newsroom.melbourne.edu/news/n-731..
No More Free Rides for 'Piggy-Backing' Viruses
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120104153733.htm
Good stuff. Current lack of understanding in host factors permitting hcv-infection has made the scientific community focus on killing the virus after infection with treatment... with continuing progress in understanding cellular response, perhaps mapping the viral pathways will finally enable the medical community to prevent infection as well as combat it after chronicity. Thanks for posting. ~eureka
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Hepatitis C Community
Learn about this treatable virus.
Getting tested for this viral infection.
3 key steps to getting on treatment.
4 steps to getting on therapy.
What you need to know about Hep C drugs.
How the drugs might affect you.
These tips may up your chances of a cure.
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
