Studies from Duke University, Center for Virology update current data on HIV/AIDS gene therapy
2007 NOV 19 -- Current study results from the report, 'Analysis of the interaction of primate retroviruses with the human RNA interference machinery,' have been published. "The question of whether retroviruses, including human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), interact with the cellular RNA interference machinery has been controversial. Here, we present data showing that neither HIV-1 nor human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) expresses significant levels of either small interfering RNAs or microRNAs in persistently infected T cells," scientists in the United States report. "We also demonstrate that the retroviral nuclear transcription factors HIV-1 Tat and HTLV-1 Tax, as well as the Tas transactivator encoded by primate foamy virus, fail to inhibit RNA interference in human cells. Moreover, the stable expression of physiological levels of HIV-1 Tat did not globally inhibit microRNA production or expression in infected human cells," wrote J. Lin and colleagues, Duke University, Center for Virology. The researchers concluded: "Together, these data argue that HIV-1 and HTLV-1 neither induce the production of viral small interfering RNAs or microRNAs nor repress the cellular RNA interference machinery in infected cells." Lin and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Virology (Analysis of the interaction of primate retroviruses with the human RNA interference machinery. Journal of Virology, 2007;81(22):12218-26). For more information, contact J. Lin, Center for Virology, Dept. of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710 USA.. Publisher contact information for the Journal of Virology is: American Society Microbiology, 1752 N St. NW, Washington, DC 20036-2904, USA. Keywords: United States, Durham, HIV/AIDS Gene Therapy, AIDS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Human T-Lymphotropic Virus, Retrovirus, Therapy, Treatment, Viral Research, Virology. This article was prepared by AIDS Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, AIDS Weekly via NewsRx.com.
|
