tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7532614445300230768.comments2022-11-13T07:51:47.090-05:00The Cure BlogKate Krausshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08388415103024668836noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7532614445300230768.post-46226965192286987512012-06-26T11:15:10.539-04:002012-06-26T11:15:10.539-04:00Great post! Sign the petition!Great post! Sign the petition!Kate Krausshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08388415103024668836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7532614445300230768.post-79295043074233653102011-10-17T03:51:54.819-04:002011-10-17T03:51:54.819-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Ashksnghhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14126179207720983055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7532614445300230768.post-18914394508011866312011-05-18T17:05:34.744-04:002011-05-18T17:05:34.744-04:00Thanks to Jon for the shoutout for the AIDS Policy...Thanks to Jon for the shoutout for the AIDS Policy Project in his article.Kate Krausshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08388415103024668836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7532614445300230768.post-18238850535788732882011-04-09T15:46:31.905-04:002011-04-09T15:46:31.905-04:00Whoops--we're experiencing technical difficult...Whoops--we're experiencing technical difficulties. May tweet out of the conference later and will report back on this blog.Kate Krausshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08388415103024668836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7532614445300230768.post-34499804980467697262011-01-05T05:39:30.255-05:002011-01-05T05:39:30.255-05:00Ok, very good to hear that this group is going on....Ok, very good to hear that this group is going on. But if we want to campaign for eradication, the first thing is to be evidence based and scientifically correct. Let's start by the beginning... the mutation on CCR5 was not discovered by "an" American scientist. This was Amfar's version recently, in order to collect donations. But research leading to discovery of CCR5 and then of the delta 32 deletion was a beautiful and worldwide collective work. We can say that an American scientist group (Ed Berger) discovered CXCR4, but for CCR5 it's starts with Paolo Lusso's team discovering that the ligands of CCR5 inhibited HIV replication. An European group linked CCR5 to those ligands. Many groups jumped on the boat of these discoveries and then found CCR5 and the delta 32 deletion in American and European populations and its relation to AIDS susceptibility and disease progression. And a German group treated the American patient in Berlin. Let's honor all these researchers!!!!Liviahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06073650476758744479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7532614445300230768.post-62662898152027712082010-11-02T15:18:35.164-04:002010-11-02T15:18:35.164-04:00I think maybe the important thing here is that it&...I think maybe the important thing here is that it's the central memory subset that seems to be working; in most people the absence of adequate HIV-specific CD4 T cell help is associated with a failure to generate a functional HIV-specific central memory CD8 T cell population. Elite controllers typically have much better HIV-specific CD4 T cell responses which associates with better HIV-specific CD8 T cell responses. Why HIV-specific CD4s are not so affected by HIV in these individuals is still uncertain, but increased expression of a protein called p21 (which has previously been shown to be protective in stem cells and macrophages) has recently emerged as a possible explanation:<br />http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/IDSA/22916Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09909669816400950993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7532614445300230768.post-67332481556390754902010-10-23T17:07:50.601-04:002010-10-23T17:07:50.601-04:00@Rick Loftus, M.D. - I couldn't agree with you...@Rick Loftus, M.D. - I couldn't agree with you more. With each passing day, elite controllers are, indeed, proving to be an exception to the "rules", as far as we know them.<br />In reference to the higher activation levels on CD8 T-cells in LTNPs/ECs, in their recent paper for JAMA (cited below), Drs. Connors & Migueles (NIAID/NIH)lay out a clear definition of the cytotoxic abilities possessed by us that may explain higher activation levels. [Source: Migueles & Connors, "Long-term Nonprogressive Disease Among Untreated HIV-Infected Individuals - Clinical Implications of Understanding Immune Control of HIV", JAMA, July 14, 2010 - Vol 304, No 2]. <br /><br />Sorry for duplicate posting; received an error message that my first comment was too long.Loreen Willenberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07517805805619208774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7532614445300230768.post-38872800102924231082010-10-23T17:02:13.620-04:002010-10-23T17:02:13.620-04:00@Rick Loftus, M.D. - I couldn't agree with you...@Rick Loftus, M.D. - I couldn't agree with you more. With each passing day, elite controllers are, indeed, proving to be an exception to the "rules", as far as we know them.<br />In reference to the higher activation levels on CD8 T-cells in ECs, in their recent paper for JAMA (cited below), Drs. Connors & Migueles (NIAID/NIH)state: "The CD8 T cells of LTNP (EC), compared with those of chronic progressors, do not appear to mediate control over HIV because larger numbers of HIV-specific CD8 T cells in the peripheral blood or because of a greater ability of these cells to recognize the patients' autologous viruses (58,59,60). Rather, accumulating evidence points to major differences between LTNPs (ECs) and patients lacking control over HIV in the functionality of their HIV-specific CD8 T cells. (5,14,61-63) More specifically, the HIV-specific CD8 T cells of LTNPs (ECs) compared with the cells of chronic progressors divide robustly when encountering an HIV-infected cell and simultaneously acquire increases in the major proteins contained within cytotoxic granules, the pore-forming protein perforin, and the serine protease granzyme B. (5,64-66) By forming pores within the target cell membranes, perforin permits granzyme B to gain access to the target cell interior, where it can induce apoptotic cell death (67). It has been further demonstrated in vitro that increases in these cytotoxic proteins after a period of stimulation confer a superior ability of the HIV-specific CD8 T cells of LTNPs (ECs), compared with those of viremic and ART-treated chronic progressors, to kill HIV-infected cells. (5,14) These results demonstrate HIV-specific CD8 T-cell functions that clearly correlate with immunologic control of HIV replication." (5,14)[Source: Migueles & Connors, "Long-term Nonprogressive Disease Among Untreated HIV-Infected Individuals - Clinical Implications of Understanding Immune Control of HIV", JAMA, July 14, 2010 - Vol 304, No 2]. <br /><br />With killing-capacity like this, it's no wonder we LTNP/ECs measure higher activation markers than treated patients!Loreen Willenberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07517805805619208774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7532614445300230768.post-48398579149783720472010-10-22T11:59:43.608-04:002010-10-22T11:59:43.608-04:00Hmmm... I haven't seen the paper, and should, ...Hmmm... I haven't seen the paper, and should, but: For so many of the immune activation markers, they're a side effect of the presence of HIV, rather than a sign of appropriate virus-controlling activity. I'm willing to believe that elite controllers are the "exception that proves the rule"...Rick Loftus, M.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/06595766559875611473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7532614445300230768.post-55249429589373048492010-09-27T21:02:06.271-04:002010-09-27T21:02:06.271-04:00Matt, what have you heard from or about others who...Matt, what have you heard from or about others who have begin this particilar gene therapy approach earlier than yourself?Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18122387949596995042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7532614445300230768.post-46207766514094473092010-09-17T16:09:19.385-04:002010-09-17T16:09:19.385-04:00Matt, thank you for participating in this trial. ...Matt, thank you for participating in this trial. It sounds like something that can ultimately benefit many people with HIV. Thanks for volunteering.AIDS-HIV Info Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07773330021845013763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7532614445300230768.post-88021148241215642442010-09-07T09:34:32.155-04:002010-09-07T09:34:32.155-04:00GOOD LUCK! This sounds like an exciting study.GOOD LUCK! This sounds like an exciting study.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7532614445300230768.post-75048256208702352922010-08-28T21:48:11.987-04:002010-08-28T21:48:11.987-04:00We'll have more on this as soon as we get acce...We'll have more on this as soon as we get access to the full article--<br /><br />Katie/AIDS Policy ProjectKate Krausshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08388415103024668836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7532614445300230768.post-50527473880898672782010-07-18T19:43:02.134-04:002010-07-18T19:43:02.134-04:00Hi Kate,
I believe the Dutch researcher holds a mi...Hi Kate,<br />I believe the Dutch researcher holds a minority opinion insofar as achieving a 'functional cure' for HIV/AIDS. His view is obviously very narrow (host-viral interaction, indeed) and doesn't have a clue what it's like living with the infection. I've had the pleasure to meet many, many researchers here and abroad who are dedicated to making discoveries toward the cure, functional or otherwise.<br /><br />I appreciate your blog pieces, including your photos. For those of us here at home, you help to share the view from Vienna.<br /><br />My best,<br />LoreenLoreen Willenberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07517805805619208774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7532614445300230768.post-63446355622738869692010-07-16T11:00:18.112-04:002010-07-16T11:00:18.112-04:00In the US we now have a National AIDS Strategy. I...In the US we now have a National AIDS Strategy. It be smart to be focusing a great of attention have a cure strategy.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11727329012709087115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7532614445300230768.post-34593228154825170162010-07-15T17:29:44.150-04:002010-07-15T17:29:44.150-04:00A special welcome, by the way, to our readers from...A special welcome, by the way, to our readers from Zambia, Lesotho, South Africa, and Uganda.Kate Krausshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08388415103024668836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7532614445300230768.post-34227141440008422122010-07-12T09:40:34.160-04:002010-07-12T09:40:34.160-04:00In the mid 1990s I used to hear of research that s...In the mid 1990s I used to hear of research that studied sex workers in east Africa who seemed resistant to HIV infection. I also worked as a UN volunteer at Project San Franscisco in Lusaka, Zambia where discordance was around 20% of couples co-habiting for more than three years. I personally know a few couples that have lived together for many years without one infecting another. Should these cases help in finding something for us? Why do this kind of information not held high on the research agenda? <br /><br />Global AIDS funding is dwindling, isn't time the world invested into a permanent solution? I am grateful for the treatment and prevention efforts going on but the silence on the urgent need to find a cure is unsettling.<br /><br />And, yes, I am on the very latest treatment regimen.<br /><br />Joseph PhiriThe World Is Goodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03390606673816116165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7532614445300230768.post-62260578863764679662010-07-08T00:57:12.265-04:002010-07-08T00:57:12.265-04:00A cure would save even more.A cure would save even more.John S. Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00687027750541840902noreply@blogger.com