Zinc-finger proteins turn T-cells HIV-resistant

Darkfrog submitted, created time 5 months 2 days (www.nature.com)

ZInc-finger proteins occur naturally in human cells and regulate gene activity. Researchers out of California's Sangamo Biosciences have figured out how to use these proteins to disrupt and disable specific genes. The kicker? When the gene in question is CCR5, human T-cells suddenly become resistant to infection with HIV.

At this point, any practical treatment would involve removing (or growing) the patient's own T-cells, treating them with zinc finger proteins, and then re0injecting the patient. Cumbersome, but possible. And it wouldn't be able to purge the body of HIV, not directly, so this is a treatment, not a cure. And there are risks. The researchers describe the process as "shooting bullets at a region of the chromesome." Hit the wrong target and bad things happen.

I think that these guys need to talk to the guys who just cured melanoma and the guys looking for better ways to induce pluripotent stem cells.

Keywords: zinc finger proteins zinc-finger proteins HIV AIDS HIV treatments T-cells t cells melanoma induced pluripotent stem cells