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CHICAGO: Scientists have isolated two genes which may
prevent people from contracting HIV, or at least slow the rate at
which they develop AIDS, a new study has found.
The genes were isolated by
comparing the genetic profiles of people in their first year of HIV
infection with those who managed to resist infection despite
repeated exposure to the virus.
The “good” versions of the
two genes were present in 12.2 percent of those who resisted
infection compared with only 2.7 of patients in primary HIV
infection.
Researchers are not yet sure how
this protection works.
One of the gene codes for a
receptor on the surface of the immune system’s natural killer
cells which destroy infected cells in the body.
The other codes for a protein
which binds the first gene and dampens the natural killer cell
activity.
The most likely explanation is
that HIV prevents the protein that dampens the killer cell activity
from being expressed, allowing the killer cells to destroy cells
infected with HIV.
Since this can happen very soon
after the initial infection, people carrying those genes may be able
to more efficiently destroy infected cells and lower their chances
of developing AIDS.
“More research is needed to
determine the exact mechanism behind the protection we have
observed, but these findings have revealed a promising avenue,”
said co-author Nicole Bernard of the Research Institute of the
McGill University Health Center.
“In the future, our findings
could be used to somehow ‘boost’ the innate immune system and
thus fight the virus as soon as it enters the body.”
The study was published Wednesday
in the journal AIDS.
--AFP
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