近些年來,科學(xué)家們?cè)谔剿鱄IV致病機(jī)制、靶向性療法上花費(fèi)了巨大精力,如今研究者們也取得了一些可喜成果,那么本月有哪些值得一讀的跟HIV相關(guān)的研究呢,不妨往下看。
【1】Science子刊:鑒定出制造強(qiáng)大HIV抗體的人的免疫學(xué)特征
讓HIV疫苗開發(fā)陷入混亂的主要問題之一就是為何一些人感染上這種病毒幾年后制造出所需的抗體,但是HIV疫苗似乎不能夠誘導(dǎo)相同的抗體反應(yīng)。
來自美國(guó)杜克大學(xué)人類疫苗研究所的一個(gè)研究團(tuán)隊(duì)一直在努力闡明這個(gè)問題。通過分析100名HIV感染者---一半人的免疫系統(tǒng)最終制造出能夠廣泛中和HIV病毒的抗體,另外一半人的免疫系統(tǒng)不能夠做到這一點(diǎn),研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)幾個(gè)關(guān)鍵的免疫差異應(yīng)當(dāng)有助制定開發(fā)有效疫苗的指導(dǎo)手冊(cè)。相關(guān)研究結(jié)果發(fā)表在2016年7月29日那期Science Immunology期刊上,論文標(biāo)題為“Immune perturbations in HIV-1–infected individuals who make broadly neutralizing antibodies”。
【2】Nat Immunol:科學(xué)家開發(fā)出治療HIV等長(zhǎng)效病毒感染的新療法
近日科學(xué)家們進(jìn)行的一項(xiàng)最新研究距離發(fā)現(xiàn)治療HIV感染及腺熱病毒感染的新型療法又近了一步,腺熱病毒感染往往和淋巴瘤發(fā)生相關(guān);某些感染,比如HIV感染并不能通過抗病毒療法治療,因?yàn)椴《究梢赃M(jìn)行有效地隱藏而不被機(jī)體免疫系統(tǒng)所差距。
來自莫納什生物醫(yī)學(xué)發(fā)現(xiàn)研究所及沃爾特與伊麗莎-霍爾研究所的研究人員通過研究發(fā)現(xiàn),機(jī)體的殺傷性T細(xì)胞可以尋找到組織中隱藏的感染細(xì)胞并將其摧毀,相關(guān)研究成果刊登于國(guó)際雜志Nature Immunology上,該研究或?yàn)殚_發(fā)治療慢性感染(HIV感染)長(zhǎng)效療法提供希望。
【3】Nat Med:90%以上的潛伏性HIV病毒存在缺陷,不能復(fù)制
在一項(xiàng)新的研究中,來自美國(guó)約翰霍普金斯大學(xué)醫(yī)學(xué)院的研究人員對(duì)來自19名接受治療的HIV感染者的潛伏性HIV“前病毒(provirus,即基因組整合進(jìn)宿主細(xì)胞DNA的HIV)”基因組進(jìn)行完全測(cè)序,發(fā)現(xiàn)即便在非常早地開始治療的病人體內(nèi),當(dāng)前用來測(cè)量潛伏性HIV病毒庫(kù)的唯一廣泛適用的方法主要是對(duì)不能復(fù)制的缺陷性HIV前病毒而不是對(duì)再次活躍復(fù)制和讓感染持續(xù)進(jìn)行下去的那些HIV前病毒進(jìn)行計(jì)數(shù)。相關(guān)研究結(jié)果于2016年8月8日在線發(fā)表在Nature Medicine期刊上,論文標(biāo)題為“Defective proviruses rapidly accumulate during acute HIV-1 infection”。
特別地,研究人員證實(shí)90%以上的潛伏性HIV前病毒發(fā)生突變---甚至在感染的初期---以至于它們不再能夠復(fù)制。這些發(fā)現(xiàn)提示著迫切需要新的方法只對(duì)能夠復(fù)制的HIV前病毒進(jìn)行計(jì)數(shù),這是因?yàn)闇?zhǔn)確地計(jì)數(shù)是指導(dǎo)和測(cè)量針對(duì)潛伏性HIV前病毒庫(kù)的實(shí)驗(yàn)性療法有效性的關(guān)鍵。
【4】HIV關(guān)鍵性蛋白Nef研究取得重大進(jìn)展
全世界有3600萬多人感染上人類免疫缺陷病毒(HIV),其中美國(guó)有120萬人感染上HIV。當(dāng)前的抗逆轉(zhuǎn)錄病毒藥物組合阻斷HIV如何復(fù)制、成熟和入侵未被感染的細(xì)胞,但是這種組合不能夠根除這種病毒。
作為美國(guó)桑迪亞國(guó)家實(shí)驗(yàn)室(Sandia National Laboratories)生物與工程科學(xué)中心的一名研究員,Mike Kent正在研究參與HIV感染發(fā)展為獲得性免疫缺陷綜合征(AIDS)的蛋白Nef,最終目標(biāo)是阻斷它。他和他的合作者開發(fā)出一種新的混合方法來研究這種破壞免疫系統(tǒng)的HIV蛋白。這種方法也可能能夠研究很多其他的破壞細(xì)胞過程和導(dǎo)致疾病的蛋白。
Nef到達(dá)被感染的細(xì)胞的細(xì)胞膜上,誘導(dǎo)這種細(xì)胞破壞它自己的免疫系統(tǒng)信號(hào)受體,從而允許這種被感染的細(xì)胞躲避免疫系統(tǒng)的檢測(cè)。Nef也劫持了細(xì)胞通信而使得這種病毒更容易復(fù)制。為了與這些宿主蛋白相互作用,Nef需要改變形狀。
【5】Nature:從原子水平揭示為何HIV能夠逃避免疫系統(tǒng)檢測(cè)
在一項(xiàng)新的研究中,來自英國(guó)醫(yī)學(xué)研究委員會(huì)(MRC)分子生物學(xué)實(shí)驗(yàn)室和倫敦大學(xué)學(xué)院的研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)HIV用來感染細(xì)胞同時(shí)逃避免疫系統(tǒng)檢測(cè)的一種關(guān)鍵特征。這一發(fā)現(xiàn)提供一種新的藥物靶標(biāo)和重新評(píng)估現(xiàn)存HIV療法以便改善它們的療效的機(jī)會(huì)。相關(guān)研究結(jié)果于2016年8月10日在線發(fā)表在Nature期刊上,論文標(biāo)題為“HIV-1 uses dynamic capsid pores to import nucleotides and fuel encapsidated DNA synthesis”。
HIV是一種逆轉(zhuǎn)錄病毒,這意味著它不得不將它的RNA基因組逆轉(zhuǎn)錄為DNA以便感染細(xì)胞。在以前,人們并不知道這種病毒如何獲得它所需要的遺傳物質(zhì)的構(gòu)造單元(即核苷酸)。重要的是,人們也并不知道HIV如何在不激活用來檢測(cè)外源DNA的細(xì)胞警報(bào)系統(tǒng)的情形下做到這一點(diǎn)。
HIV被稱作衣殼的蛋白外殼所包圍著。如今,科學(xué)家們發(fā)現(xiàn)當(dāng)HIV制造它的DNA時(shí),它躲藏在這種衣殼內(nèi)。在這項(xiàng)新的研究中,研究人員利用一種混合方法(hybrid approach)區(qū)分不同狀態(tài)下HIV衣殼的原子結(jié)構(gòu)和構(gòu)建HIV突變體以便觀察這如何導(dǎo)致HIV感染發(fā)生變化。這就允許他們發(fā)現(xiàn)HIV衣殼中存在類似虹膜的孔,這些孔就像眼睛中的虹膜那樣打開和關(guān)閉。這些孔以非常高的速率吸收HIV復(fù)制所需的核苷酸,同時(shí)排出任何不想要的分子。這有助解釋為何HIV如此成功地躲避免疫系統(tǒng)識(shí)別。
【6】重磅!科學(xué)家開發(fā)出全球首個(gè)測(cè)定HIV藥物耐受性突變的新一代測(cè)序技術(shù)
在第68屆美國(guó)臨床化學(xué)年會(huì)暨臨床實(shí)驗(yàn)室醫(yī)療設(shè)備博覽會(huì)(AACC Annual Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo)上,來自新加坡基因測(cè)序公司Vela Diagnostics的研究人員推出了全球首個(gè)檢測(cè)HIV藥物耐藥性突變的新一代測(cè)序技術(shù),該技術(shù)在幫助臨床醫(yī)生優(yōu)化HIV治療體系上扮演著重要的作用,同時(shí)其還可以幫助科學(xué)家們主動(dòng)出擊,最大化地減少全球抗逆轉(zhuǎn)錄病毒藥物耐受性流行的發(fā)展。
治療HIV感染的抗逆轉(zhuǎn)錄病毒療法的使用在過去十年里急劇增長(zhǎng),而且這種療法也是目前全球采用的終止艾滋病公共衛(wèi)生威脅計(jì)劃的一部分;據(jù)世界衛(wèi)生組織數(shù)據(jù)顯示,HIV藥物耐受性的并發(fā)性增長(zhǎng)會(huì)通過抵消抗逆轉(zhuǎn)錄病毒藥物抑制HIV及AIDS進(jìn)展的作用,從而就會(huì)破壞掉科學(xué)家們多年來的努力;因此檢測(cè)患者對(duì)HIV藥物的耐受性是確?;颊呖梢越邮苡行е委煹年P(guān)鍵,同時(shí)對(duì)于有效管理抗逆轉(zhuǎn)錄病毒藥物的耐受性也是非常重要的。
【7】我們距離治愈艾滋病到底還有多遠(yuǎn)?
治愈HIV經(jīng)常被稱作HIV研究的最終夢(mèng)想。雖然有效的抗HIV藥物已經(jīng)將艾滋病轉(zhuǎn)變成了一種慢性可控的疾病,你可以攜帶著HIV一直生活,并且不會(huì)死于HIV感染,但終生治療與完全治愈仍然存在很大不同。
如果能找到一種既經(jīng)濟(jì)又能夠規(guī)模化開展的HIV治愈方法,能夠在馬拉維共和國(guó)的鄉(xiāng)村和澳大利亞的悉尼城市發(fā)揮同樣的作用,這樣才有希望實(shí)現(xiàn)在全球清除HIV新發(fā)感染的目標(biāo),同時(shí)還能讓那些病毒攜帶者的生活發(fā)生巨大轉(zhuǎn)變。治愈研究必須制定這樣的目標(biāo):優(yōu)先考慮可能在全世界發(fā)揮作用的干預(yù)措施,而不僅僅局限在醫(yī)療系統(tǒng)高度發(fā)達(dá)的區(qū)域。
現(xiàn)在尋找HIV治愈方法的研究得到了越來越多的關(guān)注。在過去四年中相比于其他HIV研究項(xiàng)目的投資來說全球向治愈研究領(lǐng)域的投資已經(jīng)翻番。但是考慮到抗逆轉(zhuǎn)錄病毒藥物在治療和預(yù)防HIV感染方面的有效性,在全球健康研究背景下治愈研究仍然存在許多關(guān)于優(yōu)先級(jí)設(shè)定的重要問題。
【8】英國(guó)科學(xué)家發(fā)現(xiàn)消滅艾滋病毒的有效途徑
來自倫敦劍橋大學(xué)和英國(guó)皇家學(xué)院的科學(xué)家通過凍結(jié)蛋白質(zhì)外殼中的小孔,成功抑制了艾滋病毒的繁殖。病毒通過這些微孔來建造傳染性DNA。生物學(xué)家將這項(xiàng)研究的有關(guān)報(bào)告發(fā)表在《自然》雜志之上。 艾滋病毒屬于逆轉(zhuǎn)錄病毒。為了感染細(xì)胞,它必須將組成其基因的RNA轉(zhuǎn)換成DNA。然而,科學(xué)家們不知道病毒如何獲取必要的核苷酸——遺傳物質(zhì)的基石。另外,他們也不清楚艾滋病毒是如何成功保護(hù)其DNA免受保護(hù)系統(tǒng)識(shí)別細(xì)胞的。
研究人員研究了衣殼的分子結(jié)構(gòu)——由蛋白質(zhì)組成的病毒外殼。此外,病毒學(xué)家已經(jīng)創(chuàng)建了艾滋病毒的突變版本,用來了解衣殼的變化如何影響它的感染能力。事實(shí)證明,在外殼中存在特殊的微孔,其形狀類似于隔膜。核苷酸通過它們進(jìn)入內(nèi)部,其中包括那些負(fù)責(zé)識(shí)別外源DNA的其他外來分子。當(dāng)科學(xué)家通過六溴苯阻塞微孔的時(shí)候,病毒喪失了自我復(fù)制的能力。
研究人員強(qiáng)調(diào),他們測(cè)試的抑制劑不能通過血漿膜滲透到細(xì)胞中。然而,他們希望在將來能夠解決這個(gè)問題,并且創(chuàng)造針對(duì)艾滋病毒的有效藥物。在這種情況下,病毒將無法繁殖并抑制免疫系統(tǒng)活性,有助于防止感染發(fā)育艾滋病。
Scientists have spent a lot of time exploring the mechanisms of HIV and targeted therapies in recent years. Now that researchers have achieved some encouraging results, what studies are worth reading about HIV this month?
【 1】 Sciencé Subissue: Identification of the immunological characteristics of people who make powerful HIV antibodies
One of the main problems that has thrown HIV vaccine development into chaos is why some people infected with the virus have produced the required antibodies after several years, but the HIV vaccine does not seem to be able to induce the same antibody response.
A research team from the Human Vaccine Institute at Duke University has been trying to clarify this issue. By analyzing 100 HIV-infected people, half of the immune system eventually produces antibodies that can broadly neutralize the HIV virus, the other half of the immune system can not do this. The researchers found that several key immune differences should help develop guidelines for developing effective vaccines. The findings, published in the July 29, 2016 issue of the Journal of Science Immaculation, are entitled "Immaculate objects in HIV-1-indefatigable objects out of the world".
[2] Nat Immunol: Scientists have developed new treatments for long-acting viral infections such as HIV
A new study by scientists is a step closer to finding new treatments for HIV and adenovirus infections, which are often associated with lymphoma. Some infections, such as HIV infection, can not be treated with antiviral therapy because the virus can be effectively hidden without being divided by the body's immune system.
Researchers from the Mornash Institute of Biomedical Discovery and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute have found that the body's deadly T cells can find and destroy hidden infected cells in the tissue. The results of the study are published in the international magazine Nature Immaculate. The study may provide hope for the development of long-term treatment for chronic infections(HIV infection).
[3] Nat Med: More than 90 % of latent HIV viruses are defective and can not be replicated
In a new study, researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the United States conducted a full sequencing of the latent HIV "provirus(HIV), the genome integrated into the host cell DNA, from 19 HIV-infected patients undergoing treatment. Found that even in patients who started treatment very early, The only widely used method currently used to measure the latent HIV virus library is mainly to count defective HIV previruses that can not be replicated rather than those pre-HIV viruses that are actively replicated again and allow infection to continue. The results of the study were published online in the Journal of Nature Medical on August 8, 2016. The title of the paper is "Defense products developing accretion virus -1 infector".
In particular, the researchers confirmed that more than 90 % of latent pre-HIV viruses mutate -- even in the early stages of infection -- so that they can no longer replicate. These findings suggest that there is an urgent need for new methods to count only those pre-HIV viruses that can be replicated, because accurate counting is the key to guiding and measuring the effectiveness of experimental therapies for latent pre-HIV virus banks.
【 4】 Great progress has been made in the study of HIV critical protein Nef
More than 36 million people around the world are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus(HIV), of which 1.2 million are infected with HIV in the United States. The current combination of antiretroviral drugs blocks how HIV replicates, matures, and invades uninfected cells, but this combination can not eradicate the virus.
As a researcher at the Sandia National Laboratories Biological and Engineering Sciences Center, Mike Kent is studying the protein Nef involved in the development of HIV infection into Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome(AIDS). The ultimate goal is to block it. He and his collaborators developed a new hybrid method to study this immune system-destroying HIV protein. This method may also be able to study many other proteins that destroy cell processes and cause disease.
Nef reaches the cell membrane of the infected cell and induces the cell to destroy its own immune system signal receptor, allowing the infected cell to evade the detection of the immune system. Nef also hijacked cell communication to make the virus easier to replicate. In order to interact with these host proteins, Nef needs to change shape.
【 5】 Nature: Explains why HIV can evade immune system testing at the atomic level
In a new study, researchers from the British Medical Research Council(MRC) Molecular Biology Laboratory and University College London found that HIV is a key feature used to infect cells while avoiding immune system detection. This finding provides an opportunity for a new drug target and re-evaluation of existing HIV therapies to improve their efficacy. The findings, published online in the journal Nature on August 10, 2016, are entitled "HIV-1 needs to be written by children to be published in the study."
HIV is a retrovirus, which means it has to reverse its RNA genome into DNA to infect cells. In the past, people did not know how this virus obtained the building unit(ie, nucleotides) of the genetic material it needed. Importantly, people also do not know how HIV can do this without activating the cell alert system used to detect exogenous DNA.
HIV is surrounded by protein shells called capsids. Now, scientists have discovered that when HIV makes its DNA, it hides in this capsid. In the new study, researchers used a hybrid method to distinguish the atomic structure of HIV capsids in different states and to construct HIV mutations to see how this led to changes in HIV infection. This allowed them to discover that HIV cases had Iris like holes that opened and closed like irises in the eyes. These pores absorb the nucleotides needed for HIV replication at a very high rate while expelling any unwanted molecules. This helps explain why HIV has so successfully evaded immune system recognition.
【 6】 Heavy! Scientists have developed the world's first new generation of sequencing techniques to measure tolerance mutations in HIV drugs
At the 68th American Congress of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Laboratory Medical Equipment Expo(AACC Annual Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo), researchers from Singapore Gene Sequencing Company Vela Diagnostics launched the world's first detection of HIV drug resistance mutations. A new generation of sequencing technology, This technology plays an important role in helping clinicians optimize the HIV treatment system. At the same time, it can also help scientists take the initiative to minimize the development of global antiretroviral drug tolerance epidemics.
The use of antiretroviral therapy for HIV infection has increased dramatically over the past decade and is part of a global plan to end the public health threat of AIDS; According to WHO data, the concurrent growth of HIV drug tolerance will counteract the effect of antiretroviral drugs on HIV and AIDS progress, which will undermine scientists 'efforts over the years; Therefore, testing the patient's tolerance to HIV drugs is the key to ensuring that patients can receive effective treatment, and it is also very important to effectively manage the tolerance of antiretroviral drugs.
How far are we from a cure for AIDS
Healing HIV is often referred to as the ultimate dream of HIV research. Although effective anti-HIV drugs have transformed AIDS into a chronic controlled disease. You can live with HIV all the time and do not die of HIV infection, there is still a big difference between lifelong treatment and complete cure.
If we can find an HIV cure that is both economical and scalable,