Retrovirus News and Research

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New method for producing pseudotyped virus particles bearing spike protein of SARS-CoV-2

A new study discusses the development of an improved protocol based on cell lines that can consistently express S proteins.

5 Aug 2021

IP6 molecules are key to stabilizing and protecting retroviruses

A newly discovered molecule central to the assembly of HIV may provide valuable insight into the development and function of viruses and how to combat them.

28 May 2021

Investigational gene therapy can restore immune function in children with inherited immunodeficiency disorder

An investigational gene therapy can safely restore the immune systems of infants and children who have a rare, life-threatening inherited immunodeficiency disorder, according to research supported in part by the National Institutes of Health.

12 May 2021

Horizontal transmission route is responsible for HTLV-1 uveitis

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1) is a retrovirus similar to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and has mostly been thought to be transmitted vertically (mother-to-child), or horizontally (sexually or parenterally (e.g. via blood transfusion)).

28 Apr 2021

Diabetes drug appears to exploit vulnerability of AIDS-causing retrovirus HIV

A team led by scientists at the UNC School of Medicine discovered an important vulnerability of the AIDS-causing retrovirus HIV, and has shown in preclinical experiments that a widely used diabetes drug, metformin, seems able to exploit this vulnerability.

29 Mar 2021

Retroviruses invading the koala germline contribute to high cancer rates

Koalas are facing multiple environmental and health issues which threaten their survival. Along with habitat loss - accelerated by last year’s devastating bush fires – domestic dog attacks and road accidents, they suffer from deadly chlamydial infections and extremely high frequency of cancer.

26 Feb 2021

SHREK proteins mediate broad spectrum antiviral host immunity, including against SARS-CoV-2

A new preprint posted to the bioRxiv server demonstrates that similar mucins and mucin-like proteins cannot only suppress HIV-1 infectivity via blockage of viral attachment to the host cells but can block infection by multiple enveloped viruses.

4 Feb 2021

Study reveals innovative gene therapy approach to regenerate functional new neurons

Spinal cord injury (SCI) often causes disability and seriously compromises quality of life. While decades of research have made significant progress in axonal regeneration after SCI, most of the interventions have not been translated into clinical therapies.

18 Dec 2020

ACE2 and TMPRSS2 not the only virus-receptors to mediate SARS-CoV-2 entry

However, a recent study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in November 2020 uncovers the major role played by the N-terminal domain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in host infection. This could be of great use in measuring the usefulness of antibodies used in convalescent plasma therapy for COVID-19.

9 Nov 2020

New lab test for detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies gives results more quickly than existing assays

Knowing you have developed antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus after recovering from COVID-19 doesn't tell you everything about your immunity.

19 Oct 2020

Exposure to ancient parasites may be linked to humans’ response to coronavirus

Why are some people more resilient to viruses than others? The answer has eluded scientists for centuries and, in the age of COVID-19, has come to represent one of the holy grails of biomedical research.

16 Oct 2020

$9.1 million NCI grant renewal will support researchers studying retrovirus cancer models

The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute and The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine have been awarded a five-year, $9.1 million grant Program Project Grant renewal from the National Cancer Institute.

1 Oct 2020

Study on domestic cats and dogs in COVID-19+ households

A recent survey conducted by a team of scientists from France reveals that pets living with confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients have a high prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

23 Sep 2020

Study reviews recent insights into the pathogenesis of feline leukemia virus infection

Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) is a gammaretrovirus that occurs worldwide in domestic cats, as well as small wild cats. It is associated with various serious, and sometimes fatal, diseases including anaemia, immunosuppression and certain cancers

10 Sep 2020

Targeting SARS-CoV-2 with off-the-shelf CAR-NK cells

The current COVID-19 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to spread and cause disease and death in many countries even today. At present, there is no effective treatment. A recent study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in August 2020 reports the potential of a new class of drugs called CAR NK cells, which could be used off-the-shelf to treat this disease.

17 Aug 2020

Research could lead to more efficient cellular immunotherapies for advanced cancers

Adoptive cell transfer immunotherapy is one of the most promising new treatments for people with hard-to-treat cancers.

23 Jul 2020

Researchers publish review on HIV-1 Rev Regulatory complex in “Current HIV Research” journal

A team of researchers led by Patrick E. H. Jackson at the Myles H. Thaler Center for HIV and Human Retrovirus Research, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA, has published a review on the subject of the HIV-1 Rev Regulatory complex (dubbed the HIV-1 Rev Regulatory Axis) in the journal, Current HIV Research.

1 Apr 2020

First comprehensive survey of viruses found within different cancers

Researchers from the University of East Anglia have helped to carry out the first comprehensive survey of viruses found within different types of cancer.

5 Feb 2020

Koalas protect their germline cells against retroviral attack

In a new study published in the journal Cell, scientists have found that koala DNA is protected against attack by retroviruses by a special type of immune response, which distinguishes foreign DNA from the host genome and destroys it before it can proliferate. This finding could help us understand both how koalas survive these infections, and the mechanics of adaptive gene change.

15 Oct 2019

Endogenous retrovirus type W found to be a major contributor to nerve damage in MS

Early disease stages of MS are primarily characterized by immune cell infiltration of the CNS. This causes inflammation that damages the so-called myelin sheaths.

28 Jun 2019