Second pathway behind HIV-associated immune system dysfunction identified

Potential treatment target needs further investigation before clinical testing

Researchers at the Partners AIDS Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital (PARC-MGH) may have discovered a second molecular “switch” responsible for turning off the immune system’s response against HIV. Last year members of the same team identified a molecule called PD-1 that suppresses the activity of HIV-specific CD8 T cells that should destroy virus-infected cells. Now the researchers describe how a regulatory protein called CTLA-4 inhibits the action of HIV-specific CD4 T cells that control the overall response against the virus. The report will appear in the journal Nature Immunology and is receiving early online release.

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MicroRNAs may be key to HIV’s ability to hide, evade drugs, Jefferson scientists find

(PHILADELPHIA) Tiny pieces of genetic material called microRNA (miRNA), better known for its roles in cancer, could be a key to unlocking the secrets of how HIV, the AIDS virus, evades detection, hiding in the immune system. Researchers at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia have shown that when an individual infected with HIV receives a powerful cocktail of antiviral agents called HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy), the virus calls on miRNAs to help it remain quiet and practically undetectable, temporarily shutting down its ability to replicate and infect.

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Ozone shuts down early immune response in lungs and body

DURHAM, N.C. – As policy makers debate what levels of ozone in the air are safe for humans to breathe, studies in mice are revealing that the inhaled pollutant impairs the body’s first line of defense, making it more susceptible to subsequent foreign invaders, such as bacteria.

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New discovery may improve treatment of one of the world’s leading causes of blindness

GALVESTON, Texas — An inflammatory eye condition that is one of the world’s leading causes of blindness could be treated much more effectively and easily thanks to a new discovery here.

In experiments with laboratory rats, scientists at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston have developed a potential new therapy for uveitis — the inflammation of the uvea, a layer of tissue that lies just below the outer surface of the eyeball and includes the iris.

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FDA Approves Lamisil for Pediatric Treatment of Scalp Ringworm

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the approval of Lamisil Oral Granules for the treatment of tinea capitis, a fungal infection of the scalp, in children ages 4 years and older.

Tinea capitis most commonly affects children and is often characterized by severe itching, dandruff and bald patches. It is a persistent and contagious fungal infection that usually does not respond to topical treatment.

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Additional Influenza Vaccine Approved for Upcoming Influenza Season

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Afluria, an additional seasonal influenza vaccine for the immunization of people ages 18 and older.

Afluria is intended to protect adults from influenza type A and type B flu viruses. Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness that can cause annual epidemics.

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Meditation therapy for rheumatoid arthritis patients

A revered contemplative practice for centuries, meditation has recently inspired research into its therapeutic value for everything from anxiety disorders to heart attack prevention. A painful, progressive autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with a high risk of depression—double the risk of the healthy population, by conservative estimates—and various forms of psychological distress. Increasingly, RA patients are turning to alternative therapies like meditation to ease the toll of their disease.

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Treating obstructive sleep apnea, preventing heart attacks and strokes

Researchers in Brazil have found that treating patients who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) dramatically reduces early indications of atherosclerosis in just months, linking OSA directly to the hardening or narrowing of the arteries. Until now, no study has demonstrated such a direct relationship between the two.

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Genomic profiling of lung tumors helps doctors choose most effective treatment

DURHAM, N.C. — Determining the genetic profile of a particular lung tumor can help clinicians make the crucial decision about which chemotherapy treatment to try first.

A new study led by researchers from the Duke University Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Duke Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy (IGSP) found distinct differences in the susceptibility different tumors have to widely used chemotherapy drugs.

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FDA Takes Action to Stop Marketing of Unapproved Hydrocodone Products

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced its intention to take enforcement action against companies marketing unapproved prescription drug products containing hydrocodone, a narcotic widely used to treat pain and suppress coughs. The action does not affect other hydrocodone formulations, which have FDA approval. Read more

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