could we develop a virus that could attack the AIDS virus??

Ok, I can think of several options. Use an retrovirus which inserts new DNA coding for resistant CD4 receptors. Use a retrovirus which produces antisense mRNA for a crucial gene in HIV, say HIV protease. If a protein product could be found which inhibits HIV protease then this could be used and would be as effective as existing HIV protease inhibitors, however a need to take the drugs would be removed.

 

I'm not sure if its possible, but if the HIV DNA could be marked so that it is targeted by exonucleases, then it would be able to have it cut out of the DNA directly.

one of the greatest problems with the oxymoronic term "viral treatment" is that it is hard to specify what the reverse transcriptase enzymes splice up, I've heard of an experiment in Paris that went bad and the patients recieving the treatment ended up with leukemia

thats pretty interesting. I have too theorized about the idea of viral treatment.

 

Here's my take on the situation, in lay terms simply because i have limited education in genetics, although pretty good for a sophomore in college. I got an A in Biology I..hehe

 

Ok. So we can basically agree that when you have protein synthesus, DNA is copied with RNA polymerase, cut with spliceosomes, translated and transcribed by T-RNA Anticodons and M-RNA in a specific process in order to form proteins.

 

We can also agree that when you can have frame shift, deletion, addition, or other degenerative activity when it comes to transcription and translation.

 

We can further devine that when we have any of these problems, we suffer an error in the first stage of protein synthesis, organization.

 

I can anticipate that there are a multitude of proteins associated with the AIDS virus. Suppose we could alter the way that AIDS replicates itself, effectively mutating the virus by either messing with the exons, codons, or even primers to mess up how certain proteins are produced?? If that seems a bit far-fetched, I believe there are certain proteins embedded in the cell's surface. What if we could alter them??

 

Any thoughts??

 

~Steve

 

::edit::

 

Sorcer's point also interests me, what if we could make that part of the DNA an Intron so it would be skipped over in the transcription and translation process??

one of the greatest problems with the oxymoronic term "viral treatment" is that it is hard to specify what the reverse transcriptase enzymes splice up, I've heard of an experiment in Paris that went bad and the patients recieving the treatment ended up with leukemia

 

There were some kids being treated with gene therapy for SCIDS (kid in a bubble syndrome- they have no immune system), and yes, they did develop leukaemia.

And then theres always the chance that the virus used to attack HIV harms the body in assition to the aids virus, but that may be a chance some are willing to take.

Why cant we use a virus to modify our DNA so that when new cells are generated they will have the genes that are immune to AIDS. Some people are naturally immune to ADIS, So can we use their genes for replacing the non immune ones.

 

Hey, which virus is best for such a treatment ?

because viruses have to survive too, if the RNA doesnt benefit its survival, there's no point to it

What if we could isolate genes for immunity in the population, add them to cells via a vector..... why not use HIV itself since the paitient is already infected...... they could even modify the germline.

 

Eugenics in its true sense.... good.

wtf?

What if we could isolate genes for immunity in the population' date=' add them to cells via a vector..... why not use HIV itself since the paitient is already infected...... they could even modify the germline.

 

Eugenics in its true sense.... good.[/quote']

 

if you can find one that's actually recovered or immune to HIV, the drugs and vaccines would probably come out by now...

if you can find one that's actually recovered or immune to HIV, the drugs and vaccines would probably come out by now...

There are people who are immune and/or resistant to HIV. Progress is slow.