Speed of HIV-1 destruction in gut exposed

Startling evidence provided by a recent study from the Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Immunology has shown the virus responsible for AIDS moves at extraordinary speed to decimate the gut-based B-cell antibody-producing system.

PLoS Medicine published the study, which is the first of its kind, exploring HIV-1 infection and B-cell response in the gut.

It has been suggested the study will provide new insights as to why the B cell antibody response, the cells responsible for making antibodies against foreign microbe invasion, is so slow and weak in its defence against the virus.

According to lead author and Centre director Dr Barton Haynes, by 80 days half of the generative microenvironments for antibodies within the immune system in the gut are destroyed.

Research also showed after only 17 days, ‘naïve’ B cells were already significantly decreased, which are the cells potentially able to develop into strong infection fighting agents.

The researchers, also working at the Human Vaccine Institute at Duke, say it is the first time we have understood the destruction of B cells at such an early stage of infection.

Dr Haynes says a vaccine would first need to offer "potent" antibodies circulating in the immune system before an infection has even been transmitted.