University of California other research news

UCSF researchers showed that CD8 cells from 21 HIV-infected long-term survivors (LTS) with CD4 counts of ? 500 cells have a three-fold greater ability to suppress HIV replication than CD8 cells from patients who have lost a significant number of CD4 cells during the same 10-year period, but haven't yet progressed to full-blown AIDS.

As published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, UCSF scientists tested the ability of CD8 cells to prevent HIV from replicating in cultures of CD4 cells. The researchers focused on a change in the pattern of cytokines produced in the host from those that typically favor cell-mediated immunity - T helper 1 (Th1) - to cytokines that down-regulate it - T helper 2 (Th2). ...