From Science: Induction of APOBEC3G ubiquitination and degradation by an HIV-1 Vif-Cul5-SCF complex HIV-1 Vif is essential for viral evasion of host antiviral factor APOBEC3G (CEM15). In this study, they identified cellular proteins that interact with HIV-1 Vif and are critical to Vif ’s ability to suppress the antiviral activity of APOBEC3G. Since suppression of host antiviral activity by Vif is essential for HIV-1 infection, strategies that interfere with the interaction of Vif with host cell proteins and/or degradation of APOBEC3G may lead to the design of novel anti-HIV drugs.
Hot News: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 escape from RNA interference Researchers have found that the antiviral activity of tat short hairpin RNA (shRNA) was abolished due to the emergence of viral quasispecies harboring a point mutation in the shRNA target region. If this turns out to be a generalized occurrence, it could severely limit the use of RNA interference as a therapeutic tool. Journal of Virology 77(21), 11531, November 2003.
Determinants of survival following HIV-1 seroconversion after the introduction of HAART Predicted survival for people with HIV-1 has continued to increase, since the introduction of HAART; however, the importance of age and exposure category as determinants of progression seems to have changed. HAART has had less effect on the prognosis of infected injecting drug users. Lancet 362(9392), 18 October 2003. Free full-text article.
