罢丑别听聽(WHO) estimates that 1.6 million people died out of the 35.3 million living with HIV in 2012. But scientists at the 聽may have found a solution to preventing HIV going forward. A group of proteins found in coral reefs might be capable of blocking HIV,聽.听
The proteins, also known as cnidarins, were harvested from a feathery coral that grows off the northern coast of Australia. What makes these little guys unique is their mechanism of action鈥攖hey bind with HIV and stop any fusion with the membrane on the T cells鈥攚hich is the first step when contracting the virus.
聽as a barrier against the infection without causing the virus to become resistant to other HIV drugs.听
“It’s always thrilling when you find a brand-new protein that nobody else has ever seen before,” says senior investigator Barry O’Keefe, deputy chief of the Molecular Targets Laboratory at the Center for Cancer Research at the National Cancer Institute. “And the fact that this protein appears to block聽HIV聽infection鈥攁nd to do it in a completely new way鈥攎akes this truly exciting.”
Though this may sound like a miracle, there is still work to be done regarding the use of the protein. Researchers are testing for side effects and discussing efficient ways to harvest the protein without destroying coral reefs.