Imitating Monkey's 'Jumping Genes' Could Lead To New Treatments For
HIV
ScienceDaily (Feb. 19, 2008) — UCL (University College London)
scientists have taken a significant step in understanding how
retroviruses such as HIV can move between species and the biological
mechanisms behind the 'jumping genes' which make some monkeys immune.
They will now use this knowledge to develop a gene therapy treatment
for HIV/AIDS in humans.
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See also:
Health & Medicine
HIV and AIDS
Infectious Diseases
Gene Therapy
Plants & Animals
Monkeys
Virology
Evolutionary Biology
Reference
Antiviral drug
Gene therapy
Vector (biology)
HIV
The international team of researchers, coordinated by Professor Greg
Towers, UCL Infection and Immunity, and funded by the Wellcome Trust,
have identified a combination of genes in a species of monkey that
protects against retroviruses -- a particularly opportunistic family
of viruses that can integrate into the host's genome and replicate as
part of the cell's DNA.
Professor Towers explained: "HIV causes AIDS and affects around 40
million people worldwide. Research has shown that HIV entered the
human population from a chimpanzee retrovirus called SIV early in the
20th century. In order for a virus to successfully cross the species
barrier and jump into a new species, it first has to bypass the new
host's innate immune system, mediated by a combination of genes and
proteins. One such gene, called TRIM5, has been shown to protect
certain species from retroviruses -- but unfortunately the human
TRIM5 gene does not protect against HIV infection."
The team found that a species of Asian monkey called Rhesus Macaques
have a sophisticated 'antiviral arsenal' that can protect them
against retroviruses. By closely examining TRIM5 in this species,
they demonstrate that in some monkeys another gene called Cyclophilin
has been joined to the TRIM5 gene, generating a TRIMCyp fusion.
Dr Sam Wilson, the paper's first author, said: "Cyclophilin is very
good at grabbing viruses as they enter cells. By fusing Cyclophilin
to TRIM5, a gene is made that is good at grabbing viruses and good at
destroying them. This is the second time that this fusion has been
identified -- a TRIMCyp gene also exists in South American Owl
Monkeys and, until now, this was thought to be an evolutionary one-
off.
"This new research shows that a TRIMCyp has evolved independently in
two separate species -- it's like lightening has struck twice. It's a
remarkable example of convergent evolution, where organisms
independently evolve similar traits as a result of having to adapt to
similar environments. It also highlights the evolutionary selection
pressure that viruses like HIV can apply."
Professor Greg Towers explained further: "The discovery is a
compelling example of how 'jumping genes' can shuffle an organism's
genetic makeup, generating useful new genes, and it is an exciting
possibility for novel treatments for HIV/AIDS.
"About 25 per cent of Rhesus Macaques have the TRIM5 and a TRIMCyp
gene, greatly expanding their antiviral arsenal. The others have an
immunity, based around TRIM5, that protects them against a different
combination of viruses. The gene seems to be evolving to protect the
individual species from a range of different virus sequences."
Professor Towers and his team now aim to develop humanised TRIMCyp
that blocks HIV infection by artificially fusing human Cyclophilin
and human TRIM5. Professor Towers said: "We can then introduce the
TRIMCyp into stem cells, using gene therapy technologies, and the
stem cells could repopulate the patient with blood cells that are
immune to HIV. This work, already underway, could offer a real
possibility of novel treatments for HIV/AIDS."
Journal reference: 'Independent evolution of an antiviral TRIMCyp in
Rhesus Macaques' is published in the journal PNAS, 18 February
2008.
Adapted from materials provided by University College London, via
EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
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MLA University College London (2008, February 19). Imitating
Monkey's 'Jumping Genes' Could Lead To New Treatments For HIV.
ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 19, 2008, from
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