Closer to a Cure for AIDS?

Interleukin 2 (IL2) is a factor T helper/CD4 positive T cells use to activate B cells, CD8 positive T cells/Cytotoxic T cells, and other CD4 positive T /T helper cells. Researchers in the article decided to treat HIV infected patients with both HAART and Interleukin 2. Their hypothesis was: if these HIV infected resting CD4 T cells could be activated by IL2 then the virus in them would start reproducing. When they start reproducing the HAART could then started working on eliminating the viruses from these cells.

When they did this they found that they could significantly lower the number of HIV infected resting CD4 positive T cells in these patients. In three of the 14 patients they were unable to find any HIV infected resting CD4 positive T cells in their blood streams. Two of these patients did not have any HIV infected cells in the lymph nodes they sampled.

This is good news. These researchers were able to show they could significantly reduce the numbers of HIV infected resting CD4 positive T cells in humans infected with the HIV virus. This is another step in the right direction in finding a cure for this deadly disease. Unfortunately, these results must be carefully examined. Other studies need to be done to determine the reproducibility of this treatment. This treatment is also very expensive. It is NOT A CURE! Eleven of these patients still had detectable levels of HIV infected resting CD4 positive T cells in their blood streams. There are also other reservoirs for this virus besides the resting CD4 positive T cells. Monocytes (white blood cells in our blood stream) and nerve cells can also be infected and the HIV virus can remain in these cells for long periods of time.

Research has however helped many HIV infected people live longer and more productive lives. Ten years ago even I didn't think we would get this far. Who knows may be in the next ten years a vaccine or even a cure for this deadly disease could be found.

Take Care and Think Microbiologically!

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