Scientists Find Protein That Blocks HIV, Ebola, and More

[Gahars]

For all our advances in medicine, viruses continue to plague us. Vaccines certainly give us a boost, but they only go so far; some viruses have proven to be difficult, if not downright impossible, to vaccinate against.

If you want a healthy population, this is going to be a pretty big problem.

Luckily, it appears that scientists have just made something of a breakthrough - one that may turn the tide in our favor.

Their study, published in the journal Immunity, describes the novel antiviral property of cholesterol-25-hydroxylase (CH25H), an enzyme that converts cholesterol to an oxysterol called 25-hydroxycholesterol (25HC), which can permeate a cell’s wall and block a virus from getting in.

“Interestingly, the CH25H enzyme is activated by interferon, an essential antiviral cell-signaling protein produced in the body,” said co-author Su-Yang Liu, a student at the Department of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics at the UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine. “Antiviral genes have been hard to apply for therapeutic purposes because it is difficult to express genes in cells. CH25H, however, produces a natural, soluble oxysterol that can be synthesized and administered. Also, our initial studies showing that 25HC can inhibit HIV growth in vivo should prompt further study into membrane-modifying cholesterols that inhibit viruses.”

“The discovery is particularly relevant to efforts to develop broad-spectrum antivirals against an increasing number of merging viral pathogens.”

Sci-News

(Not to be confused with Psy-News, a new site based around the popular Korean pop singer, or Sigh-News, a collection of depressing news stories. Of course.)

It's one hell of a protein bro-team.

Scientists are learning more and more about how our cells actually function, and a discovery like this is a pretty big deal. The more we know about our body and how it functions, the more we can do to actually fix things when things stop working.

Now, we should be clear that this is not a cure yet. However, this discovery is pretty big, and could possibly lead to developments that might produce treatments somewhere down the line.

You know, maybe.

Still, this is a mighty important first step. We can't be sure of anything yet, of course, but with discoveries like this, at least we can be optimistic.

Uh, oh yeah, pun quota. Um... something something One Flu Over the Cuckoo's Nest something something HIV For Vendetta something something E-bro-la! something something This is so cool, it's sick!

Alright, that should do it.

 

[Devin]

Bros don't let other bros get sick yo.

(This is good news, but I'll wait until I hear breakthroughs rather than just discoveries.)

 

[FAST6191]

Usual yay science.

I wonder what the anti vaccination cretins will make of this.

 

[Foxi4]

Their study, published in the journal Immunity, describes the novel antiviral property of cholesterol-25-hydroxylase (CH25H), an enzyme that converts cholesterol to an oxysterol called 25-hydroxycholesterol (25HC), which can permeate a cell’s wall and block a virus from getting in.

I always had a good feeling about cholesterol, I organize my diet around it.

Usual yay science.

I wonder what the anti vaccination cretins will make of this.

Uhm... "It permeates cell walls so love can't get through anymore which is bad"? Or the usual nonsense?

 

[the_randomizer]

Usual yay science.

I wonder what the anti vaccination cretins will make of this.

Like "Yer tampering with nature, derr herr herr derp!" right? I should show my brother this information, he'd go nuts over this, being a Microbiology major and working towards his PHd and all

 

[FAST6191]

I am probably going to go with "haha vindication at last that the pharmacology industry big pharma has been trying to screw us all by making all their money preventing diseases".

 

[retKHAAAN]

Usual yay science.

I wonder what the anti vaccination cretins will make of this.

I have no problem at all with the idea of vaccinations. I do have a problem with a lot of the shit included in the actual vaccines though. But I also don't take aspirin, anti-inflammatories, or any other prescription or over-the-counter medications...because I'm a cretin...

 

[shakirmoledina]

the more we know, the more we know that we don't know
I can't understand why after reading so many science threads by Gahars, he is known to be a pun master than an intelligent poster

 

[porkiewpyne]

I have no problem at all with the idea of vaccinations. I do have a problem with a lot of the shit included in the actual vaccines though. But I also don't take aspirin, anti-inflammatories, or any other prescription or over-the-counter medications...because I'm a cretin...

That's why sometimes ignorance is bliss. XD Just like why it's better for us to not know what the hell KFC and other fast food chains put in their food.

 

[jalaneme]

scientists need to get a cure for cancer, too many people are dying from the disease every day, I hope one day we can get a cure for it, it's a horrible disease.

 

[FAST6191]

I have no problem at all with the idea of vaccinations. I do have a problem with a lot of the shit included in the actual vaccines though. But I also don't take aspirin, anti-inflammatories, or any other prescription or over-the-counter medications...because I'm a cretin...

"shit included in the actual vaccines though"
Do elaborate, I am aware of certain binding agents causing issues in people with certain diseases but that is always going to be the case (well this side of a total understanding of human biology and manufacturing capabilities to do something with said knowledge). Otherwise letting stuff slide that has serious negative effects would seem to be a rather large failing on the part of the organisations tasked with the oversight of medicine.
"But I also don't take [anything else]"
Now I am certainly not going to sit here and say medicines are not overused in many cases (see MRSA) and there are seldom cases of true medical stupidity (panic buying of iodine) but ignoring medicine entirely does rather fit my definition of cretinous behaviour.
Also choice link
http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/pae/botany/botany_map/articles/article_04.html

scientists need to get a cure for cancer, too many people are dying from the disease every day, I hope one day we can get a cure for it, it's a horrible disease.

Trouble is cancer is not one disease, each type often has a variety of causes, different people have a variety of risk factors inherited, generated and otherwise and you also have the issue of detection.

 

[retKHAAAN]

"shit included in the actual vaccines though"
Do elaborate, I am aware of certain binding agents causing issues in people with certain diseases but that is always going to be the case (well this side of a total understanding of human biology and manufacturing capabilities to do something with said knowledge). Otherwise letting stuff slide that has serious negative effects would seem to be a rather large failing on the part of the organisations tasked with the oversight of medicine.
"But I also don't take [anything else]"
Now I am certainly not going to sit here and say medicines are not overused in many cases (see MRSA) and there are seldom cases of true medical stupidity (panic buying of iodine) but ignoring medicine entirely does rather fit my definition of cretinous behaviour.
Also choice link
http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/pae/botany/botany_map/articles/article_04.html

The bolded portion is my main problem with many vaccines... When are most vaccines administered? Infancy. How many of these "certain diseases" aren't discovered until well into infancy? How about the flu vaccine recalls of the past fews seasons? The MMR vaccine recall last year? The CDC did a study to ascertain whether thimerosal (which contains mercury) in vaccines increased the chances of autism in children... Their sample consisted of 1008 people. Is 1008 people really indicative of the reactions of hundreds of millions? Can you really sample 0.000001% of a population and consider the results legitimate? Now, also keep in mind that they filtered out all children who carried any trait at all that could lead to autism. Finally, consider that as of July 1999, the Public Health Service agencies, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and vaccine manufacturers agreed that thimerosal should be reduced or eliminated in vaccines as a precautionary measure (though it's still used today...).

As far as ignoring medicine entirely...I most certainly don't. However, medicine is not my first choice in maintaining health.

 

[Bladexdsl]

definitely nothing to sneeze at!

 

[the_randomizer]

The bolded portion is my main problem with many vaccines... When are most vaccines administered? Infancy. How many of these "certain diseases" aren't discovered until well into infancy? How about the flu vaccine recalls of the past fews seasons? The MMR vaccine recall last year? The CDC did a study to ascertain whether thimerosal (which contains mercury) in vaccines increased the chances of autism in children... Their sample consisted of 1008 people. Is 1008 people really indicative of the reactions of hundreds of millions? Can you really sample 0.000001% of a population and consider the results legitimate? Now, also keep in mind that they filtered out all children who carried any trait at all that could lead to autism. Finally, consider that as of July 1999, the Public Health Service agencies, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and vaccine manufacturers agreed that thimerosal should be reduced or eliminated in vaccines as a precautionary measure (though it's still used today...).

As far as ignoring medicine entirely...I most certainly don't. However, medicine is not my first choice in maintaining health.

But if you're not exposed to certain bacteria and viruses early on and don't develop the antibodies, you're pretty much SOL later on.

 

[retKHAAAN]

But if you're not exposed to certain bacteria and viruses early on and don't develop the antibodies, you're pretty much SOL later on.

You realize the main things we're vaccinating for died out years ago, right? Also, the MMR vaccine doesn't prevent you from getting measles/mumps/pox nor does the flu vaccine actually prevent you from getting the flu... There's also no reason at all why we need to be pumping 15 or more vaccines into infants...

 

[Wolvenreign]

Now, while I don't think anyone here is particularly guilty of this, I do feel it would be a good idea to link this article.

 

[the_randomizer]

*Sigh* No sense in trying to explain why people need to be vaccinations.

 

[retKHAAAN]

Now, while I don't think anyone here is particularly guilty of this, I do feel it would be a good idea to link this article.

For all the claims that the "anti-vaxxers" have no concrete evidence that vaccines have the potential to harm, the "pro-vaxxers" have no concrete evidence that they don't... Also, it's in a wiki so it must be true.

*Sigh* No sense in trying to explain why people need to be vaccinations.

Hey, cool pic bro! It's more and more original every single time I see it posted on this forum!

 

[the_randomizer]

Hey, cool pic bro! It's more and more original every single time I see it posted on this forum!

Glad you like it! I'll be sure to post even more redundant pictures!

 

[Gahars]

For all the claims that the "anti-vaxxers" have no concrete evidence that vaccines have the potential to harm, the "pro-vaxxers" have no concrete evidence that they don't... Also, it's in a wiki so it must be true.

The fact that those in the Anti-Vaccination Movement can't get evidence despite the widespread use of vaccinations for decades now is pretty persuasive. The burden of proof lies with them in this case, and they've failed to deliver time and time again (or when they do deliver, it's complete and total bunk).

The fact that the vaccines are in use, on the other hand, is pretty strong evidence that they're safe - vaccines are subject to extremely strict, closely monitored FDA testing. If there was a serious a serious threat, don't you think they (or a foreign equivalent) would've picked up on it after decades upon decades of study?

In the meantime, they spread hysteria over something with their unsubstantiated claims. We're seeing ailments previously thought to be dead (like whooping cough, for God's sake) on the rise again because people buy into the movement. People are getting sick and, in some cases, dying because of this; that is completely unacceptable.

(As for your "It's a wiki, so it must be true" bit - you do realize that their claims are all cited from legitimate sources, right? That you could read up on? They're pretty damn strict about that.)