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Researchers have identified a virus-killing toxin, and combined it with a clever delivery mechanism

Part of what makes the HIV virus so difficult to kill is its tiny size. It's many times smaller than your average blood cell, which allows the sneaky virus to infect and kill white blood cells "the very cells that are supposed to rub out viral infections," says WebMD.

It's also why scientists are looking to unlikely sources for ways to fight the virus. Now, we might have our most unlikely source yet: Bees.

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Scientist at the Washington University School of Medicine, led by researcher Joshua L. Hood, have shown, in vitro, that it's indeed possible to kill HIV cells using bee venom. The active ingredient is a toxic peptide called melittin.

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(via Washington University)

However, by using tiny nanoparticles (the purple blobs above) as a delivery mechanism, researchers were able to send melittin (the green "arms") to the HIV virus directly. This was accomplished by outfitting thenanoparticleswith tiny bumpers (the red "O"s) that helped keep healthy blood cells at bay, essentially acting as a strainer that filters the pint-sized HIV virus into the bee-inspired death trap.

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Bee venom: A potential HIV- killer ?

University of Reading scientist's virus breakthrough By Paul Cassell March 12, 2013

New research by a scientist from The University of Reading could be crucial in the fight to stop the spread of killer viruses such as HIV and bird flu.

Dr Ben Neuman has discovered a key step that some of the worlds most dangerous viruses take when they attempt to leave cells in our bodies.

Understanding how these viruses known collectively as arenaviruses transfer from cell to cell is vital for scientists looking for ways in which to combat the spread of deadly diseases.

The spreading of viruses is a major global health concern with the figures from the World Health Organisation revealing 1.8 million people died in 2010 from Aids, which is caused by contracting the virus HIV.

Recent outbreaks of SARS and avian flu have also caused many deaths around the world.

Up until now scientists knew that different viruses all exit cells via the same route, but did not know how they broke through the cell membrane.

Dr Neuman, from the School of Biological Sciences, said: Our research looked at SARS virus, which is closely related to the new coronavirus, haemorrhagic fever viruses and close relatives of avian flu and HIV.

We know that these viruses use totally different-looking tools called matrix proteins to unlock a cell door, but we made the exciting discovery that they all use the same method.

Researchers found that all of these viruses exit the cell by overloading one side of its membrane with their proteins.

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University of Reading scientist's virus breakthrough

MONROVIA, CA--(Marketwire - Mar 12, 2013) - Immunotech Laboratories, Inc. ( PINKSHEETS : IMMB ) Immunotech Company Founder & Chief Scientific Officer Harry Zhabilov comments on the recent AIDS-HIV Baby Cure Treatments.

Regarding the recently published articles and Media announcements of the HIV case with the newborn baby. This experiment one more time confirms the mechanism of action of chemotherapy of HIV. This means chemotherapy works only when the HIV virus is in the blood stream. When the virus reaches all of the viral reservoirs in the system, it is more difficult for chemotherapy to extract the virus from the viral reservoirs of the blood stream. The treatment appears to have been successful because the virus was already in baby's blood steam the treatment used does not allow the virus to reach the reservoir like monocyte-macrophages, Langerhans cells, follicular-dendritic cells, retinal cells.

By using immunotherapy treatmentswe are increasing the level of natural killer cells and CD 8 which are responsible for attacking the virus in any corner of the system. This is the reason that chemotherapy has a fast effect under the level of PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) whereas; immunotherapy works slowly but does not have resistance.

In a recent article presenting the findings said Dr Deborah Persaud, a virologist at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore said, "This is a proof of concept that HIV can be potentially curable in infants."

Reuters Mar 4, 2013, 09.43AM.IST "Article Remnant". (Complete article link below)

Because of her risk, Dr Hannah Gay, a pediatric HIV specialist put the infant on a cocktail of three HIV-fighting drugs -- zidovudine (also known as AZT), lamivudine, and nevirapine -- when she was just 30 hours old. Two blood tests done within the first 48 hours of the child's life confirmed her infection and she was kept on the full treatment regimen, Persaud told reporters at the conference.

In more typical pregnancies, when an HIV-infected mother has been given drugs to reduce the risk of transmission to her child, the baby would only have been given a single drug, nevirapine.

Researchers believe use of the more aggressive antiretroviral treatment when the child was just days old likely resulted in her cure by keeping the virus from forming hard-to-treat pools of cells known as viral reservoirs, which lie dormant and out of the reach of standard medications. These reservoirs rekindle HIV infection in patients who stop therapy, and they are the reason most HIV-infected individuals need lifelong treatment to keep the infection at bay.

RELEVANT ARTICLES & LINKS FOR BABY AIDS-HIV MEDICINE CURES

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com//articleshow/18786108.cms?intenttarget=no

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Immunotech Founder & Chief Scientific Officer Harry Zhabilov Comments on Recent HIV Baby Cure Medicine

The venom from a bee may be utilised in the prevention of HIV (wallpapersus.com)

The sting of a bee could provide a breakthrough in the fight against HIV infection.

Toxins in the insects' venom can destroy the virus and leave surrounding cells unharmed, suggest research studies.

Scientists believe it is an important step towards developing a gel to stop the spread of the HIV virus, which causes Aids.

The principal ingredient of bee venom, melittin, 'drills' a hole in the virus envelope, and disables it by essentially skinning it alive.

Researchers inserted the toxin into tiny nanoparticles fitted with special 'bumpers' so they can bounce off normal cells.

When the smaller HIV virus makes contact with them, it slips between the bumpers and is attacked by the toxin.

Study expert Dr Joshua L Hood, of Washington University School of Medicine, said the toxin could be used in a vaginal gel to prevent HIV spreading.

He said: "Our hope is that in places where HIV is running rampant, people could use this gel as a preventive measure to stop the initial infection."

Most drugs slow the growth of the virus, but the bee venom attacks and kills it to prevent infection in the first place.

More here:
Bee Sting Venom Can Halt HIV, Say Doctors

BEE stings could prevent the spread of HIV, doctors have sensationally claimed.

A chemical in the insects' venom can destroy the killer virus while leaving surrounding cells unharmed, research found.

The discovery has been hailed as an important step towards developing a gel that could stem the spread of HIV, which causes AIDS.

HIV ... the bee toxin is loaded onto nanoparticles before attacking the virus

A potent toxin in bee stings called melittin kills HIV cells by punching holes through their protective outer layer.

Scientists loaded the toxin into tiny nanoparticles, which are attached with "bumpers" to make them bounce off normal cells.

But when smaller HIV cells come into contact with the larger nanoparticles, they slip between the bumpers and are attacked by the lethal bee toxin within.

Attack ... melittin (green) fuse with HIV

Dr Joshua L. Hood, who took part in the study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, US, said the bee toxin could be used in vaginal gel to prevent to prevent HIV from spreading.

He said: Our hope is that in places where HIV is running rampant, people could use this gel as a preventive measure to stop the initial infection.

Continue reading here:
Bee stings 'could prevent HIV'