Hello,
Description ttg hal ini sebenarnya cukup jelas mengatakan sbb:
Cholesterol in the cell membrane is not connected to cholesterol in the blood(1), which is a risk factor for heart disease but is not linked to HIV. Normally, a subset of immune cells called plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) recognise HIV quickly and react by producing signalling molecules called interferons. These signals activate various processes which are initially helpful, but which damage the immune system if switched on for too long.
In collaboration with researchers at Johns Hopkins University, the University of Milan and Innsbruck University, Dr Boasso's group at Imperial have discovered that if cholesterol is removed from HIV's envelope, it can no longer activate pDCs. As a consequence, T cells, which orchestrate the adaptive response, can fight the virus more effectively.
The researchers removed cholesterol using varying concentrations of beta-cyclodextrin (bCD), a derivative of starch that binds cholesterol (2). Using high levels of bCD they produced a virus with a large hole in its envelope. This permeabilised virus was not infectious and could not activate pDCs, but was still recognised by T cells. Dr Boasso and his colleagues are now looking to investigate whether this inactivated virus could be developed into a vaccine.
"It's like an army that has lost its weapons but still has flags, so another army can recognise it and attack it," he said.
The research was funded by the Wellcome Trust and the National Institutes of Health.
Jadi kedua point tersebut bukan merupakan cara dg mem bind atau menghilangkan cholesterol di darah, melainkan yg di bind adalah yg di virusnya.
Sallam,
