[QUOTE=Quote (cool macs @ Sep. 10 2003,03:58)]From what I have read, all most all research has been put into stopping the HIV virus at one of the stages of infection. Whether that be at the attaching/fusing stage, reproducing/factory stage, or in the escaping/budding stage, all of these methods are meant to STOP the virus from doing what it was designed/evolved to do... Not that I disagree with these methods, they all are practical and make sense, the problem is that little progress has been made because of the rate at which HIV mutates.

On this note, I would like to suggest that scientists take a step back to look at 2 principles...

1) All sorts of things are mutating within the virus, but the overall system for attaching to cells can't change very much, as if it did, it would no longer attach, and therefore it would no longer be a problem... This, to me, seems to be the strongest weakness of the virus, and must be taken advantage of.

2) The virus is designed to do what it does. Every time we find a way to stop it, the virus mutates, and renders our cure useless. Rather then wasting money/time/lives in finding a way to stop the disease, we should be looking at ways to use the virus' own processes against it.

Rather then trying to find a way to stop the virus from attaching to cells, why not focus on DISARMING the virus before it gets there. The virus body's big goal is to inject its RNA and other proteins into a cells with cd4 receptors... rather then stopping the virus from releasing its RNA, why not trigger the Virus body to release, or DUMP, the RNA and proteins before it gets to a cell it can infect. If the RNA is dumped before it attaches, it has nothing left with which to infect the cell!!!

Since the RNA can't, (I don't know this for sure), get into a cell without the virus body to get through the cell membrane, the RNA will float around in plasma until it is eventually filtered out of the body. Whether it gets filtered or not isn't a concern, if it is in fact harmless. The empty virus bodies will then harmlessly attach to the same cells they would have, and then be filtered out with time.[/QUOTE]
It's a good idea.

A virus particle is very minute and it consists of a genome (RNA like you said), reverse transcriptase enzyme and proteases inside the protein core. The protein core (in HIV's situation) holds the genome like a capsule with protein spikes sticking though another lipid capsule membrane.

In order for the virus to release its RNA rendering it harmless, you would need to be able to either:

1: get the virus to eject the RNA
2: get something to lyse or spilt the virus so it spills it's RNA
3: teleport it out
4: .....i'm out of ideas...

1. the virus will never do that. It will not release it's RNA unless it docks onto CD4 receptors and the associated binding molecules (see below for more info). It just doesn't have the genes to tell it to do that without the CD4 etc.

2: Basically you're completely anhiliating the virus here...killing it in order to release it's contents. Aleady thought of but it can't be done....well i can...but there won't be much of you left over...seeing as theres over 100 million virus particle and you've not even half of that in the number of cells.

3: cna' tbe done

4 can't be done.

So you've got a good idea, but it's not going to work too well.

What they are developing at the moment is somethign to stop the virus binding onto the cells which display CD4 receptors. Because that's not the full story. Drugs which attack the viral genome won't work bc of mutations...(like the Flu virus), but the docking proteins don't change.

In order for the virus to gain entry it needs:
1. CD4 docking molecules on CD4 recpetor bearing cells
2. Adhesion binding moelcules.

It is these adhesion molecules that they're working on at the mo it think...so look in the news in the not too distant future.

Also you gave me another idea.

HIV gains entry into cells bearing the CD4 receptor. And these unfortunately happen to be our body cells (Exogenous dendritic cells, B-Lymphocytes and macrophages).

Now what if we were to inject a load of 'synthetic cells or capsules or molecules' into the body which bear the CD4 receptors? So we inject loads of it...so that the HIV will attach onto the 'false' cells...inject its genome only to find no nucleus, ribosomes...cytoplasm there...so no replication?

I'm sure we can get this 'false cells' to bear CD4 receptors somehow...maybe find the gene for it...use genetic engineering technology (doing something useful at last)...to insert the gene for CD4 receptors into the false cells' genome and voila!

Probably won't work at all though. Ohwell.

I was just reading an article recently, but now I can't remember where.   If I find it, I'll update this.

Anyway, this article pointed out one of the segments of the AIDS virus never mutates- no matter how many times the rest of the virus changes.  And, without that specific segment, the virus would no longer be AIDS, and consequently non-lethal.  It would seem to me that this would be a good place to start.  Instead of trying to kill the virus, just get it to mutate until it is harmless.

Great question! There may not be doctors and virologist reading this, but you never know. And sometimes the most innocent of questions sparks a great idea. It is surprising how focused people can become working on an idea; they forget to "think outside the box".

It seems to me that you might have more luck posting this on a medical forum. I'm sure there are plenty of intelligent and educated people here, but doctors and viral biologists are probably scarce.

I don't think the problem is the idea, I think the problem is doing it. I believe RNA can still penetrate the cell wall, but the percentage of affected cells would be much smaller- probably enough that your body could fight it.

The problem is, how do you trigger it? It's like cancer- we can kill cancer without any problem, its just killing the cancer without killing the person.

I think all that is needed is education. I mean, look at SARS, it was a very infectious disease, but it got contained to a certain level. The problem with AIDS is that it got out of hand and now, even if they find a cure, they won't be able to use it on everybody. Look at Africa, in some places up to 40% (some even more) of the population has AIDS. Who is going to do something for those souls? no1 .
The cure was simple, prevention, i mean, AIDS is not that realy infectious, it's more easy to get Hepatitis (sp?) or herpes, but nooooo, nobody wants to use a condom, because "it doesn't feel the same", every body want to go from bed to bed cheating, and having 3somes and 4somes and what ever without using the condom LOL. I know some ppl get AIDS from some other way that is not sex, and taht is more sad, but that's a minority.
Sorry for accusing everbody , i know there are responsible people who take care of others by having safe sex, but there are lot's of people who don't.

C ya

I sometimes wonder if diseases like this are put here to help with overpopulation. Our world is so overpopulated that if it keeps going at the speed it has been our future generations are screwed if they think they will ever get a decent job without waiting years and spending thousands of dollars on schooling.

I am not by any means saying that HIV/AIDS is a good thing. It is a horrible disease that millions of people suffer through and I feel horrible for their families and for those suffering. It is just interesting to think about why things happen.

New AIDS treatment:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLf-DC4HV6o&feature=user

After seeing this video, I thought it would be worth digging up this thread from 5 years ago...

Nice to see this thread being brought up again. Very relevant thread. By the way, here is a nice article Treating HIV - Got $618,900?

That's an awful lot of money. A pack of condoms and practicing safe sex would be more cheaper and less painful.

Apparently, an old myth about the HIV virus has been debunked:

New HIV Research Results

HIV can do the damage "in just four hours." Wow.

Additional interesting facts:

1. There is a belief in Africa that having sex with a virgin girl will cure you of AIDS. This is NOT true. You can imagine what this belief has led to.

2. Those persons with mutant Delta's in their genetic code are immune to AIDS as well as most other viruses if they have two. Partial immunity if they only have one. Immune or not - they still can act as carriers.

3. Those previously affected by the Green Monkey Virus are immune to AIDS but no one's quite sure why.

CONDOMS are MANDATORY.