The war against HIV …. The presence of HIV was tracked back to 1920 in Africa. There have been numerous attempts to stop HIV contraction through precautionary measures and detection and prevent progression once HIV has infected. The development of an effective process to fight the infection is crucial to sustain the disease and prevent spread, especially in poor and populated countries. But what if infection of HIV could be obstructed all together? Recent studies have explored the effect of seminal plasma and other biologics on HIV-1. Could the anti-viral components of seminal plasma and other biologics be utilized as agent against HIV and vaccine development?
HIV is a retrovirus that infects the CD4 T-cells of the immune system. The cell surface …show more content…
Breastmilk that has not been infected with HIV-1 holds antiviral components. Many fluids and their components have anti-microbial and anti-viral effects. One study shows the anti-HIV-1 effects of Tenasin C (TNC) found in breast milk and seminal fluids. TNC has been previously recognized for its fetal development and healing purposes. This study showed that concentrated TNC did neutralize HIV-1 at low pH’s though the natural concentrations in the body were not sufficient in neutralization. The interaction that occurs pertains to the interaction of components in the mucosal fluids with the envelope protein of HIV-1. TNC binds to the chemokine co-receptor blocking the ability of the virus to infect. The study concludes that since the natural concentrations of TNC are not adequate in the complete neutralization of HIV-1, an application of recombinant TNC in the genital tract or through oral administration would provide the anti-HIV-1 actions necessary for successful neutralization. The study suggests continued research on the activity of TNC for further understanding and utilization. …show more content…
This study assayed whole seminal plasma for anti-HIV-1 activity. This study observed three major questions; to determine if seminal plasma contained the cationic polypeptides thought to be responsible for the anti-HIV-1 action, to determine if these cationic polypeptides resemble any components of vaginal fluids, and finally to determine if these cationic polypeptides were in fact responsible for the anti-HIV-1 action. The researchers isolated each cationic component and tested each against HIV-1. It was concluded that cationic polypeptide SG-1 carries most anti-HIV-1 activity. The report also mentioned the relationship between incubation an anti-HIV-1 activity. If the protein was incubated for longer amounts of time, it’s anti-HIV-1 activity was reduced. Incubation degrades the protein structure at the functional level, in turn decreasing functionality and anti-viral effects. Also, proteins with a greater cationic charge exhibited higher rates of anti-viral activity signifying that charge is a critical factor in fighting HIV. This study demonstrated important findings in the fight against HIV-1. Recognition of the importance of the cationic charge on the anti-HIV peptides provides a pathway for future studies. Researchers hope to further identify the mechanism of action of the cationic polypeptides in order to replicate their activity and step forward into fighting
HIV is a retrovirus that infects the CD4 T-cells of the immune system. The cell surface …show more content…
Breastmilk that has not been infected with HIV-1 holds antiviral components. Many fluids and their components have anti-microbial and anti-viral effects. One study shows the anti-HIV-1 effects of Tenasin C (TNC) found in breast milk and seminal fluids. TNC has been previously recognized for its fetal development and healing purposes. This study showed that concentrated TNC did neutralize HIV-1 at low pH’s though the natural concentrations in the body were not sufficient in neutralization. The interaction that occurs pertains to the interaction of components in the mucosal fluids with the envelope protein of HIV-1. TNC binds to the chemokine co-receptor blocking the ability of the virus to infect. The study concludes that since the natural concentrations of TNC are not adequate in the complete neutralization of HIV-1, an application of recombinant TNC in the genital tract or through oral administration would provide the anti-HIV-1 actions necessary for successful neutralization. The study suggests continued research on the activity of TNC for further understanding and utilization. …show more content…
This study assayed whole seminal plasma for anti-HIV-1 activity. This study observed three major questions; to determine if seminal plasma contained the cationic polypeptides thought to be responsible for the anti-HIV-1 action, to determine if these cationic polypeptides resemble any components of vaginal fluids, and finally to determine if these cationic polypeptides were in fact responsible for the anti-HIV-1 action. The researchers isolated each cationic component and tested each against HIV-1. It was concluded that cationic polypeptide SG-1 carries most anti-HIV-1 activity. The report also mentioned the relationship between incubation an anti-HIV-1 activity. If the protein was incubated for longer amounts of time, it’s anti-HIV-1 activity was reduced. Incubation degrades the protein structure at the functional level, in turn decreasing functionality and anti-viral effects. Also, proteins with a greater cationic charge exhibited higher rates of anti-viral activity signifying that charge is a critical factor in fighting HIV. This study demonstrated important findings in the fight against HIV-1. Recognition of the importance of the cationic charge on the anti-HIV peptides provides a pathway for future studies. Researchers hope to further identify the mechanism of action of the cationic polypeptides in order to replicate their activity and step forward into fighting