Retrovirus News and Research

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Unveiling the key role of RNA modification in HIV-1 survival and replication

A chemical modification in the HIV-1 RNA genome whose function has been a matter of scientific debate is now confirmed to be key to the virus's ability to survive and thrive after infecting host cells, a new study has found.

12 Apr 2024

Turning back the clock on aging immune systems: New treatment rejuvenates elderly defenses

Study demonstrated that selectively reducing myeloid-biased hematopoietic stem cells (my-HSCs) in aged mice rejuvenated the immune system, enhanced lymphopoiesis, reduced inflammation, and improved responses to viral infection, highlighting a potential strategy for countering age-related immune decline.

31 Mar 2024

Breakthrough study offers hope for an effective HIV cure

By 2030, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Global Fund and UNAIDS are hoping to end the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and AIDS epidemic.

26 Mar 2024

mRNA vaccines train T cells in waves, study shows

mRNA vaccines developed against the spike glycoprotein of severe acute respiratory syndrome type 2 coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), displayed remarkable efficiency in combating coronavirus 19 (COVID-19).

9 Mar 2024

Unveiling HIV's "latch": New study reveals key to blocking infection

As the HIV virus glides up outside a human cell to dock and possibly inject its deadly cargo of genetic code, there's a spectacularly brief moment in which a tiny piece of its surface snaps open to begin the process of infection.

2 Feb 2024

Pangolins' genetic makeup linked to increased coronavirus susceptibility

Research reveals pangolins' vulnerability to coronavirus due to innate immune gene pseudogenization, impacting their antiviral response.

10 Jan 2024

SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.86 shows increased lung targeting despite vaccine effectiveness

New research shows that the recently emerged BA.2.86 omicron subvariant of the virus that causes COVID-19 can be neutralized by bivalent mRNA vaccine-induced antibodies in the blood, which explains why this variant did not cause a widespread surge as previously feared.

8 Jan 2024

Science, Innovation, and Xenotransplantation: A Discussion with Dr. Wenning Qin

In this interview, we delve deep into the pioneering world of xenotransplantation and the evolving landscape of gene editing.

2 Nov 2023

Cracking the code: recent discoveries transform our understanding of cancer-immunity cycle

In a recent review published in Immunity, researchers reviewed tumor-immunity cycle data.

13 Oct 2023

Pig kidney xenotransplantation continues to function well after 32 days

Surgeons at NYU Langone Health have transplanted a genetically engineered pig kidney that continues to function well after 32 days in a man declared dead by neurologic criteria and maintained with a beating heart on ventilator support.

16 Aug 2023

Retrotransposons hijack cell's dna repair machinery to form circular DNA

Like its viral cousins, a somewhat parasitic DNA sequence called a retrotransposon has been found borrowing the cell's own machinery to achieve its goals.

12 Jul 2023

Ancient retrovirus may be responsible for aggressive brain cancers

The median length of survival after diagnosis of glioblastoma is 14 months, but some of these brain tumors are more aggressive and resistant to treatment than others, and a new study from Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine suggests reactivation of an ancient retrovirus may be at least partly to blame.

3 Jul 2023

Experts find remnants of ancient RNA viruses embedded inside reef-building corals

An international team of marine biologists has discovered the remnants of ancient RNA viruses embedded in the DNA of symbiotic organisms living inside reef-building corals.

2 Jun 2023

New method may help identify the essential ingredients for making an effective HIV vaccine

Since it was identified in 1984 as the cause of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has infected more than 80 million people and been responsible for some 40 million deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

30 May 2023

New discoveries made regarding autism onset in mouse models

Although autism is a common neurodevelopmental disorder, the multiple factors behind its onset are still not fully understood.

10 Mar 2023

Study investigates anti-VEGF treatment for inflammatory eye disease in HTLV-1–infected ocular cells

A retrovirus known as human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is known to cause a number of diseases, including inflammatory diseases of the eye. Recently, researchers in Japan have investigated an antibody treatment for inflammatory eye disease in ocular cells infected with HTLV-1.

21 Feb 2023

Research reveals differences in the gut microbiomes of people with ME/CFS

The study was led by scientists at the Center for Infection and Immunity (CII) at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, as part of the Center for Solutions for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, an inter-disciplinary, inter-institutional research group dedicated to understanding the biology of the disease in order to develop effective means to diagnose, treat and prevent it.

8 Feb 2023

Researchers review the association between endogenous retrovirus reactivation and aging

Researchers explored the role of endogenous retrovirus (ERV) reactivation in the aging process.

24 Jan 2023

Whole genome sequencing helps construct the first blood virological profile of Chinese population

Whole genome sequencing technology can discover various known or unspecified viral sequences contained in human blood, which can provide an important database for viral infection prevention, vaccine development, viral genomic and epidemiological research.

7 Dec 2022

What are the current challenges and future directions of mRNA nanomedicine?

Researchers presented challenges related to the clinical translation of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) technology, recent innovations and future directions to improve the clinical efficacy of mRNA nanomedicine.

15 Nov 2022