Virus Protein
TIM 3 protein turns off HIV fighting T cellsIn HIV-infected patients the body's immune system is unable to fight off the virus. A new study to be published online on November 10th in the Journal of Experimental Medicine shows that T cells in HIV-infected individuals express a protein called TIM-3, which inactivates their virus killing capacity.
Stress may make you itch moreCurrent research suggests that stress may activate immune cells in your skin, resulting in inflammatory skin disease. The related report by Joachim et al., "Stress-induced Neurogenic Inflammation in Murine Skin Skews Dendritic Cells towards Maturation and Migration: Key role of ICAM-1/LFA-1 interactions," appears in the November issue of The American Journal of Pathology.
Cold sore's herpes simplex virus mechanism revealedNow that Duke University Medical Center scientists have figured out how the virus that causes cold sores hides out, they may have a way to wake it up and kill it.
Researchers discover TRIM22 gene that blocks HIVResearchers at the University of Alberta have discovered a gene that is able to block HIV, and in turn prevent the onset of AIDS. Stephen Barr, a molecular virologist in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, says his team has identified a gene called TRIM22 that can block HIV infection in a cell culture by preventing the assembly of the virus.
Herpes virus link to complications in pregnancyViral infection with high blood pressure during pregnancy may lead to pre-term birth, revealed by researchers at Adelaide's Women's & Children's Hospital and the University of Adelaide.
Genetic breakthrough boosting natural immunityResearchers at McGill University have discovered a way to boost an organism's natural anti-virus defences, effectively making its cells immune to influenza and other viruses.
Scientists identify new cellular receptor for HIVA cellular protein that helps guide immune cells to the gut has been newly identified as a target of HIV when the virus begins its assault on the body's immune system, according to researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Tattooing improves DNA vaccine responseTattooing is a more effective way of delivering DNA vaccines; a tattoo can be more than just a fashion statement – it has potential medical value, according to an article published in the online open access journal, Genetic Vaccines and Therapy.
DNA sequencing found virus killing transplant recipients in AustraliaIn the first application of high throughput DNA sequencing technology to investigate an infectious disease outbreak, link the discovery of a new arenavirus to the deaths of three transplant recipients who received organs from a single donor in Victoria, Australia in April 2007.
IGFBP7 protein may stop melanoma skin cancerHoward Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) researchers have uncovered a protein that stops the growth of melanoma, a cancer that develops from pigment-producing cells in the skin called melanocytes.
Researchers cracking the code of bird flu time bombResearchers at Griffith University Institute for Glycomics, Queensland led by Professor Mark von Itzstein have developed a technique to 'crack-the-code' of the deadly H5N1 avian influenza virus. It will enable influenza virus specialists and drug researchers to interrogate one of the virus' key surface proteins without risk of infection.
Ebola virus disarmed by excising a single geneThe deadly Ebola virus, an emerging public health concern in Africa and a potential biological weapon, ranks among the most feared of exotic pathogens. Due to its virulent nature, and because no vaccines or treatments are available, scientists studying the agent have had to work under the most stringent biocontainment protocols, limiting research to a few highly specialized labs and hampering the ability of scientists to develop countermeasures.
273 human proteins required for HIV propagationCurrent drugs attack HIV itself, leaving patients vulnerable to counterattack by the rapidly mutating virus, which often evolves resistance. But the human proteins exploited by HIV represent potential therapeutic targets that could avoid this problem. The challenge will be to develop drugs that inhibit HIV by interacting with these human proteins without hurting our cells.
Protein may trigger insulin production in diabetic patientsIf the human body were a stage, then proteins would rank among the lead actors in the play we call "Life." These large biological molecules hold many starring roles, and their lines are dictated by information encoded in our genes. They are production powerhouses, regulating the basic processes of living and controlling countless functions. Many are enzymes that produce or use energy. Others regulate genes.
New strategies work to put cancer on the firing lineDr. Yukai He wants to put cancer in the bull's eye. "Cancer really comes from us," the Medical College of Georgia Cancer Center immunologist says of the scary reality that cancer cells are our own cells gone awry. That means our immune system doesn't always see cancer as a horrific invader.