Shutting down the chemokine receptors

Most researchers seeking to take advantage of the role of the CXCR4 and CCR5 co-receptors on T cells in HIV infection are looking for small molecule antagonists that compete with virus for access to these receptors. But Richard Zheng of Queen Mary and Westfield College, London and Peter Eagles of King's College London are pursuing a different approach that actually halts the production of both co-receptors, thus removing the anchorage sites for HIV.

The researchers have developed a DNA vector-based approach that blocks the translation of the messenger RNAs coding for the two receptors. The vector codes for ribozymes - RNA molecules that can cleave mRNA - that are specific to the mRNAs of the two chemokine receptors...