Wednesday, February 26, 2014

New Insight on NNRTIs and Mutations





New Insight on NNRTIs and Mutations


Why NNRTIs can lead to viral resistance

Anti-retroviral drugs such as Sustiva (efavirenz) and other non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) in combination with other anti-retrovirals can slow the progress of viral infection, prolonging life. Unfortunately, studies have shown that these benefits themselves can be short-lived—therapy with NNRTIs can lead to single (or “point”) mutations in the HIV genetic code that make the virus resistant to the drugs.
Researchers at the University of  Pittsburgh School of Medicine now have a good idea why. In work to be presented at the 58th Annual Biophysical Society Meeting, which took place in San Francisco from Feb. 15-19, cell biologist Sanford Leuba and his colleagues offered new insight into how NNRTIs function and how therapy-induced point mutations actually result in drug resistance.
NNRTIs work by blocking the action of an enzyme called reverse transcriptase, which HIV uses to convert its own genetic material (in the form of RNA) into single-stranded copies of DNA, which can then be inserted into the genome of the human cells they've infected. Once incorporated, this DNA instructs the host to create new copies of the virus, propagating the infection to new cells and over time attacking the immune system, which can lead to AIDS.
Using a number of imaging techniques and computer modeling, Leuba and his team showed that, normally, the binding of efavirenz results in the formation of a molecule-sized “salt bridge” that holds the reverse transcriptase in an open state when it is attached to the template it uses in making DNA copies.
“The reverse transcriptase can still bind the template, but it continually slides,” Leuba explained, “preventing the enzyme from polymerizing nucleotides. The virus cannot replicate.”The researchers found that the point mutations that cause resistance to efavirenz prevent that salt bridge from forming, “allowing the reverse transcriptase to function normally,” Leuba says. “This type of inhibition, which does not involve drug-binding affinity, has not been described previously.”
Based on the work, he said, “We have ideas about how to begin designing a new generation of NNRTIs

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

KILL THE BILL IN UGANDA




HIV ABOVE AND BEYOND




Come check out the HIV ABOVE & Beyond campaign page today!!



Jeremy Scott Hobbs


THE PREMIERE HIV VIDEO SUPPORT & EDUCATION RESOURCE FOR EVERYONE TO FIND ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING RELATED TO HIV/AIDS.  To Provide Support Agencies and Anyone with a Resource page of videos to educate and lift up all those living with HIV and AIDS.

HIV ABOVE AND BEYOND is the next frontier of Rise Above HIV.  This Chapter is dedicated to your voices and stories.  A Full page just for your videos to be aired and shown about living with HIV.  Inside your stories is the answer to someones questions.  Inside your stories are the keys to helping someone else achieve and vice - versa.   POST YOUR VIDEOS OF YOUR OWN HIV JOURNALS and Lets Lift each other up above Living with HIV and help everyone move beyond the stigma and pain of living with HIV

CAN I GET HIV FROM ORAL SEX? The answer may or may not suprise you..

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.