shiue@h-sc1.UUCP (steve shiue) (12/13/85)
In a discussion with my roommate last spring, it occurred to me that one useful line of therapy against AIDS and other retroviruses would be to develop drugs that SELECTIVELY inhibit reverse trascriptase, the enzyme that such viruses use to convert their RNA genomes into DNA that can be incorporated into eukaryotic chromosomes. As far as I can tell, there is no eukaryotic counterpart to this virus. Of course, it immediately occurred to me that actual scientists must have been researching this already, and I've heard that at least some of the experimental French drugs being developed and tested employ this strategy (I know that this wouldn't remove the infection but only check its spread). If anyone can tell me what the names of these drugs are, if they exist, and how effective and selective they are, I would really appreciate it - I'm too busy reading other research for school to track this down. In addition, my roommate mentioned that mosquitoes might possibly provide suitable vectors for the spread of the disease - I've heard that this has been looked into in some towns in Florida with AIDS victims not in the "high risk" groups. Does anyone know anything about this? -Steve Shiue "I don't make monkeys. I only train them!" -P.W. Herman
sdyer@bbncc5.UUCP (Steve Dyer) (12/14/85)
This was asked a few months ago on net.bio. There are a few reverse
transcriptase inhibitors being tested: one of them, suramin, is an old drug
used for trypanosomiasis. Many of them (including suramin) have rather
toxic side-effects, probably because their ability to inhibit enzymes isn't
limited to viral reverse transcriptase. Also, most people with AIDS are
already suffering the effects of successful viral attack; I guess you'd
really like to treat with such drugs during the initial infection, which so
far seems asymptomatic.
--
/Steve Dyer
{harvard,seismo}!bbnccv!bbncc5!sdyer
sdyer@bbncc5.ARPApamp@bcsaic.UUCP (pam pincha) (12/17/85)
In article <835@h-sc1.UUCP> shiue@h-sc1.UUCP (steve shiue) writes: > > In addition, my roommate mentioned that mosquitoes might possibly >provide suitable vectors for the spread of the disease - I've heard that this >has been looked into in some towns in Florida with AIDS victims not in the >"high risk" groups. Does anyone know anything about this? Quote from Laurence,Jeffrey, 1985, The Immune system in AIDS, Scientific American,Dec.,vol.253,no.6,p.84-93. "The groups at highest risk for infection have become increasingly well defined; they include homosexual and bisexual men, abusers of injected drugs, the sexual partners of people in AIDS risk groups, and children born of mothers at risk. Recipients of blood transfusions and blood products have also contracted AIDS, but screening of donated blood for evidence of infection has drastically reduced their risk. The fact that the disease shows *NO SIGN* of spreading beyond those groups, except to predictable targets such as women who are artificially inseminated from infected donors, indicates that the virus is ONLY transmitted through the blood or through sexual intercourse. *ALL EPIDEMIOLOGIC EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT FOOD, WATER, INSECTS AND CASUAL CONTACT DO NO SPREAD AIDS." This is a good article on how this virus affects the immune system in great detail. The one thing of note that has come out of the studies is that it "appears that the total collapse of the immune defenses in AIDS victims stems largely from a single defect : a reduction in the number and a change in the function of the T4 lymphocytes, one of the many distinct kinds of cells that make upthe immune system." Some how it seem incrediable how the bodies defenses can collapse from the failure of just one element. P.M.Pincha-Wagener s
werner@aecom.UUCP (12/18/85)
> > In a discussion with my roommate last spring, it occurred to me that > one useful line of therapy against AIDS and other retroviruses would be to > develop drugs that SELECTIVELY inhibit reverse trascriptase, the enzyme that 5 out of the 6 drugs approved for clinical trials are as you describe. An old posting of mine listed them and their stages of trial. There are a few problems: 1. Selectivity is a relative term -- these drugs are incredibly toxic. 2. Once the virus has become resident in the cells of the immune system, ReverseT becomes dispensable. 3. There is so far little demonstration that stopping the spread of the virus actually improves the clinical disease. Consider the trial in France with Cyclosporin -- the virus disappeared in the two weeks prior to the Press conference AND all three patients died in the week following. -- Craig Werner !philabs!aecom!werner "Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died."
jrc@ritcv.UUCP (James R. Carbin) (12/21/85)
> In article <835@h-sc1.UUCP> shiue@h-sc1.UUCP (steve shiue) writes: > > > > In addition, my roommate mentioned that mosquitoes might possibly > >provide suitable vectors for the spread of the disease - I've heard that this > >has been looked into in some towns in Florida with AIDS victims not in the > >"high risk" groups. Does anyone know anything about this? > > Quote from Laurence,Jeffrey, 1985, The Immune system in AIDS, > Scientific American,Dec.,vol.253,no.6,p.84-93. > > "The groups at highest risk for infection have become > increasingly well defined; they include homosexual and > bisexual men, abusers of injected drugs, the sexual > partners of people in AIDS risk groups, and children born > of mothers at risk. Recipients of blood transfusions and blood > products have also contracted AIDS, but screening of > donated blood for evidence of infection has drastically > reduced their risk. The fact that the disease shows > *NO SIGN* of spreading beyond those groups, except to > predictable targets such as women who are artificially > inseminated from infected donors, indicates that the > virus is ONLY transmitted through the blood or through > sexual intercourse. *ALL EPIDEMIOLOGIC EVIDENCE INDICATES > THAT FOOD, WATER, INSECTS AND CASUAL CONTACT DO NO SPREAD > AIDS." > > This is a good article on how this virus affects the immune > system in great detail. The one thing of note that has > come out of the studies is that it "appears that the total > collapse of the immune defenses in AIDS victims stems > largely from a single defect : a reduction in the number > and a change in the function of the T4 lymphocytes, one > of the many distinct kinds of cells that make upthe immune > system." Some how it seem incrediable how the bodies defenses > can collapse from the failure of just one element. > > P.M.Pincha-Wagener > While this reply posting is quite informative, part of what is stated can either be disputed or criticized as misleading. From the document, "Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, 100 Questions and Answers," published by the Department of Health, New York State, Dr. David Axelrod, M.D. Commissioner, dated October 24,1985, the following excerpts are extracted without permission. "Who is at risk for AIDS? During the five years in which AIDS has been recognized and studied, approximately 95 percent of AIDS cases nationally have occurred among the following groups of people: 73% - sexually active homosexuals and bisexual men *WITH MULTIPLE PARTNERS* (emphasis are mine - A nurse with the State Department of Health involved in the testing for the HTLV-III virus anti-bodies stated, 'We now feel that we have done a disservice to many homosexuals by automatically placing them in the high-risk category. The high-risk category should have included some consideration of the sexual practices of the individual not just the fact that they are homosexual.') From a separate document included with the first named publication, (and again reproduced without permission), GUIDELINES FOR PREVENTION OF HTLV-III TRANSMISSION/TRANSFER Reducing risk of transmission through altering certain sex practices..... UNSAFE These activities involve tissue trauma and/or exchange of body fluids which may transfer the HTLV-III virus or other microbes. These practices carry high risk: - Fellatio The swallowing of semen, which can contain the HTLV-III virus, is considered a high risk. - Vaginal intercourse (as stated in the original posting) - Analingus (Oral contact with the rectum) - "Fisting" - Anal Intercourse (whether homosexual or heterosexual) (Included in the "100 Questions and Answers," 'Some cases of AIDS have been transmitted from an infected male to a female, and it is not known to what extent anal intercourse was involved.') I would like to add that the State of New York has a multi-faceted program to not only identify individuals who have been exposed to the virus (with total and complete anonymity assured), but to reduce the incidence and spread of the disease. There is a State Health Department Hotline (1-800-462-1884), which provides up-to-date information about AIDS. Eight regional HTLV-III antibody test sites have been established by the N.Y.S. Health Department to provide testing and counseling for persons who wish to know if they have been exposed to the virus. Testing is free of charge at these sites, and strict confidentiality is maintained through the use of a code system. Persons seeking the the HTLV-III antibody test need not give a name, address, or any other potentially identifying information. N.Y.S. is spending $1.6 million annually to fund regional task forces and other community service organizations that provide educational and outreach services associated with AIDS. In addition, N.Y.S. presently allocates annually more funding for AIDS research than for any other specific disease except cancer. jr {allegra,seismo}!rochester!ritcv!jrc
mwg@petrus.UUCP (Mark Garrett) (12/23/85)
++ > Consider the trial in > France with Cyclosporin -- the virus disappeared in the two weeks prior to > the Press conference AND all three patients died in the week following. > Craig Werner I may be getting this confused, but was the Cyclosporin trial the one a couple months ago that was controversial because the drug is usually given to reduce the power of the immune system (when it is attacking the body itself for some reason)? There was a lot of press over the ethics of calling a press conference to get fast attention instead of the usual route of journal publication. If I am confusing this with another drug, then what was the result of that? -Mark
kbb@faron.UUCP (Kenneth B. Bass) (12/23/85)
I have heard, from an M.D., that a new drug has been discovered [in the US] that inhibits the reproduction of the HTLV III virus >> with very minor sideaffects << (ie., non-toxic unlike the French drug). It was announced at a conference of 3000 physicians (but apparently not to the public - this was not long after the French doctors announced their cure). This drug does not actually kill the virus, only keeps the virus's DNA from reproducing. Therefore, it must be taken continuously. Also, it cannot fix any damages already caused by the virus. The drug will go into testing as soon as enough of it can be produced - probably around the middle of Jan. '86. This is about all I have heard of it. Anyone have any more information about this? "Tell me why" ken bass linus!faron!kbb