Coral reef protein fights HIV infection
May 3 UPI
A new protein, extracted from coral collected from reefs off the
north coast of Australia, shows the ability to block HIV from entering
and destroying immune cells, or T cells.
Researchers at the National Cancer Institute discovered that the
proteins, called cnidarins, prove remarkably effective at quashing the
transmission abilities of HIV. If the proteins stand up to further
testing, they could be incorporated into sexual lubricants and gels as a
new barrier against HIV infection.Researcher Dr. Koreen Ramessar said
the test results were “completely different from what we’ve seen with
other proteins, so we think the cnidarin proteins have a unique
mechanism of action.
What's more, the proteins proved capable HIV infection combatants
without enabling the virus to become resistant to other HIV
drugs.Ramessar was joined by the study's lead investigator, Dr. Barry
O'Keefe, in San Diego this week to present their research findings at
this year's Experimental Biology 2014. “It's always thrilling when you
find a brand-new protein that nobody else has ever seen before,” O'Keefe
said. “And the fact that this protein appears to block HIV infection and
to do it in a completely new way makes this truly exciting.”
The proteins tested in the groundbreaking research were sourced from
the National Cancer Institute's exhaustive repository of natural product
extracts, featuring natural substances collected from all over the
world.
O'Keefe called the repository a “national treasure,” where “you never
know what you might find.
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