Discover the immune system against the spread of HIV

Recent studies have shown that immune cells, also known as dendritic cells, contain proteins that are able to counter the spread of HIV called SAMHD1. Since then, scientists at New York University's Langone Medical Center (USA) began to understand the cell protection mechanism of SAMHD1, hoping to apply it to protect other cells. .

Immune cells, also called dendritic cells, contain proteins
has the ability to resist the spread of HIV named SAMHD1

Experts say when a virus, such as HIV, infects the cell, it attacks the cell's molecular material, called dNTP, to copy. At that time, the DNA molecule contained all the genes of the virus and 'directed' the cell to produce more viruses. But research shows that SAMHD1 protects cells from viruses by destroying dNTP. Dr. Nathaniel R. Landau said SAMHD1 basically isolates the virus, so even if it penetrates into the cell, nothing will happen, there is no duplication and so DNA will not be formed. The result is that the most common form of HIV does not infect immune cells. Instead, the virus develops into another type of cell called CD4 T-cells, which does not contain SAMHD1 but contains healthy dNTP molecular material.

According to Dr. Landau, understanding the cell protection mechanism of SAMHD1 can help scientists study how to prevent the virus from spreading or slowing the progress of HIV to AIDS.