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Technology & Science

Aussie scientists stumble across HIV therapy

01.03.05


BRISBANE - Australian scientists have accidentally stumbled upon
a simple way to dramatically stimulate immunity to deadly viruses like
HIV in what's considered a major discovery in the fight against Aids.
The researchers were initially so taken aback by their chance find,
they repeated the study several times before they could convince
themselves it actually worked.
"We just couldn't believe it," said Stephen Kent, of the University of
Melbourne's Department of Microbiology and Immunology.
"It was one of those sort of serendipitous ... lucky things. We're very
excited about it.
"We think it's a very promising technique that offers hope for a therapy
for HIV and other chronic infections." Associate Professor Kent said
the researchers had initially set out to devise a test to judge how well
an animal's immune system could fight HIV. They extracted blood from
vaccinated laboratory animals and then coated the cells with HIV peptide
markers - which tell the immune system a cell is infected by the virus.
When they injected the peptide-coated blood back into the animals -
to create the illusion the cells were infected by HIV even though they
weren't - they found it triggered a huge immune response.

"When we analysed HIV-specific immunity in the weeks following ...
a marked enhancement of virus-specific immunity was induced,"
Prof Kent said.
"So the test we were trying to devise was actually a vaccine in itself
which was totally unexpected."
The researchers have successfully tested the discovery in both mice
and monkeys.

They hope to begin human trials in Sydney and Melbourne within
two years. The therapy would involve injections of the patient's
own blood after it is treated with peptides found on the surface
of cells infected by the virus.
"What we're looking at ... is a therapy that boosts people's immune
systems against the virus," Prof Kent said.
"HIV ... is difficult to get rid of completely but if it's kept at bay
by some sort of immune therapy it may not officially be cured
but if that goes on for the person's life then it won't ever cause
them any trouble.

"That's kind of the goal."

Prof Kent said the therapy had even proved effective against
drug-resistant forms of the disease. Most people with HIV are
prescribed what's known as highly active anti-retroviral therapy
(HAART), estimated to cost up to $A10,000 ($NZ11,000)
a year. The drugs have side effects like diarrhoea, nausea and
rashes, and becoming resistant is a big problem.
"If we can work out an immune therapy that you might only have
to take a few times a year, it would be a lot cheaper," Prof Kent
said. The researchers have aptly named the therapy - Overlapping
Peptide Autologous Cells (OPAL) - in line with its Australian
origins. Their study - a collaboration with the Australian National
University's John Curtin School of Medical Research - has been
published in the latest international Journal of Virology.
They've been awarded National Health and Medical Research
Council (NHMRC) funding of almost $A500,000 to refine the
technique so that it can be studied in humans.
Prof Kent said the therapy had also shown promise as a treatment
for other chronic infections like Hepatitis C.

- AAP

"Alex" <avdeelen.REMOFE@wanadoo.nl> wrote in message
news:4227b7e1$0$14395$dbd4b001@news.wanadoo.nl...
It sounds very promising. However, it will probably only be a practical
answer in the civilised areas of the World.

The procedure that it is suggested would have to be followed would require
firstly, identification of those who are HIV positive; secondly taking of
the infected person's blood in sterile conditions then coating the cells
with the HIV peptide markers and re-injecting the blood, still in sterile
conditions and thirdly, repeating the process on a number of occasions
during the year. Even in South Africa, which still has a better medical
infrastructure than most African countries - although it is in a state of
quite rapid decline - this would not be a truly practical solution on a
national basis. It would, theoretically, be possible to implement the
procedures in the urban areas, but trying to carry this through to the rural
areas would not be possible and the process of genuine identification of the
majority of infected persons would also not be possible.

What Africa, in general, should be very nervous about right now is the
possibility that the Asian Bird Flu will begin to be transmitted to humans,
by humans, on a wide scale. If this happens and a recent comment from
medical officials in Thailand that there is a very distinct possibility that
it will, would mean that HIV infected persons will be at a really serious
risk of a fatal infection and that those in countries where HIV inhibiting
procedures are not properly available will very likely succumb.

Mark Richardson