How Early Humans Evaded Immunodeficiency Viruses

How Early Humans Evaded Immunodeficiency Viruses

New studies into early human mutations that conferred immunity from simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) may give insight into modern treatments against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other retroviruses. A research group from University of California Berkeley (obligatory “Booooo”!!!) recently discovered a mutation in human cells that prevented an SIV protein from binding to human infection-fighting proteins and targeting them for destruction. The mutation prevented the release of viral SIV contents to neighboring cells and effectively sequestered the virus in a relatively small number of cells. The protein’s structure was determined through cryo-electron microscopy, which allowed the researchers to study its binding site. They hypothesized that SIV had to develop an entirely new way to circumvent the host cell’s innate defenses, which is why it took an extended period of time (estimates of tens to hundreds of thousands of years) for the virus to successfully invade and proliferate in human hosts. Hence, humans gained a significant evolutionary advantage by not having to face an SIV equivalent. The lab believes they can design a drug to target proteins that are used by the virus but not essential for the host cell, thereby forcing the virus to find other avenues to attack the host cell.

-Avi Kaye  

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190822141901.htm