In article <6ugg99$n22 at dfw-ixnews10.ix.netcom.com>,
George M. Carter <gmc0 at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>Donald Forsdyke <forsdyke at post.queensu.ca> wrote:
>>snip...
>>> In the AIDS context, the guns are drugs such as AZT and (recently)
>>the complex of drugs known as HAART. These hit AIDS viruses "on the
>>wing", but are useless against latent virus which hides usually in DNA
>>form seamlessly integrated into the DNA of its host cell. We need drugs
>>to simulate the beaters. In 1991 it was suggested that cytokines such as
>>TNF-alpha might fill this role. Recently some major laboratories have
>>taken this up. For further details see the references below.
>>Eek. I think this idea is nuts. Also, I believe there were studies
>of TNF. In any event, TNF may well be part of the problem. To the
>extent that a) AIDS is partly due to the death of many UNinfected CD4
>cells and b) that excessive cell-death may be due in part to excessive
>levels of TNF, this approach seems dangerous.
Also, TNF is able to bind the tar element of the LTR when no tat
is present, and initiate transcription. This was an unfortunate
side effect noted by F. Wong-Staahl when she was testing anti-tat
compounds. She was able to reduce tat concentrations nearly to zero,
but replication still occurred in the presence of TNF
Carlton
__________________________________________________________________________
| |
| Carlton Hogan (carlton at gopher.ccbr.umn.edu) |
| Community Programs for Clinical Research on AIDS Statistical Center |
| Coordinating Center for Biometric Research |
| Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Health |
| University of Minnesota http://www.biostat.umn.edu/~carlton |
| 2221 University Ave SE, Suite 200 Voice: (612) 626 8899 |
| Minneapolis MN 55414 FAX: (612) 626 8892 |
|________________________________________________________________________|
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