Potential HIV Vaccine Breakthrough (Again)

Via Canada's Globe And Mail:

Researchers in Canada and the United States have made a breakthrough discovery in the fight against HIV infection: a protein that can limit the viral attack.

The study, published in the online edition of Nature Medicine, found that the protein FOX03a not only can limit the deterioration of certain disease-fighting immune cells, but could help with the development of an HIV vaccine. HIV is characterized by the deterioration of T-cells, or central memory cells that orchestrate the body's ability to fight the disease. HIV attacks these cells.

Researchers from the University of Montreal, McGill University Health Centre and BD BioSciences of San Diego, Calif., combined forces to look at ways to limit the deterioration of memory T-cells.

They studied three groups of men. One group was HIV-negative, the second was HIV-positive with the infection controlled through therapy, and the third group had HIV but did not show any symptoms. This third group, called elite controllers, were key. Researchers hoped that by solving the mystery of how these individuals could co-exist with this virus without damage to their immune system could potentially form the basis of a vaccine.

The researchers found the elite controllers were able to ward off the symptoms of infection without medication because their immune systems maintained their resilient immune memory through the control of the FOX03a protein.

According to the story, this breakthrough has wider implications in the fight against cancer as well. I've been reporting on various HIV "breakthoughs" for years, so who knows where this one will go. We can only continue to hope.