Vaccines From the Creation of Term Paper

The Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center (http://www.adarc.org/frame.asp?var=about_HIV") provides information on the five stages of HIV infection, namely: Entry, Reverse Transcription, Integration, Translation, and Exit. The first stage of the Entry of the HIV virion into the host cell known as the T-cell is triggered by the binding of membrane proteins of the virus into the receptors on the T-cell surface. The T-cell is a lymphocyte or white blood cell found in the bloodstream. Its main function is to protect and "eat away" or engulf foreign particles such as bacteria and viruses entering the body. In the event that a HIV virion entering a T-cell, the T-cell is eventually destroyed resulting to the weakening of the body's defenses. A shedding of the HIV' virion's capsid occurs in the second stage called the Reverse Transcription. In this stage, the viral RNA and its enzyme are exposed and then transcripted to becomea viral DNA. The third stage of Integration is characterized with the viral RNA's entry to the T-cell's nucleus to become integrated into the host DNA. Translation, which is the fourth stage is characterized by the viral RNA's creation of codes which are translated into proteins and enzymes into a polypeptide chain. Finally, the HIV virion exits the host T-cell by the formation of its outer layer called the capsid, insertion of its own viral membrane proteins into the host cell's plasma membrane, and budding from the surface of the host cell to infect other nearby T-cells.

The formulation of a vaccine for HIV is a very formidable task since there is still a limited study on the nature of HIV in the first place.Nevertheless, extensive research on the virus has initiated the creation of antiretroviral drugs. These drugs interfere with the HIV replication at the stages of HIV infection provided earlier. These drugs focus on strengthening the T-cells that serve as host cells of HIV. Specifically, antiretroviral drugs create fusion and entry inhibitors, reverse transcriptase inhibitors, integrate inhibitors, and protease inhibitors in the T-cells (http://www.biology.arizona.edu/immunology/tutorials/AIDS/main.html").

A vaccine for HIV would mean that it is to be given before actual exposure to HIV. This means that the best possible remedy for HIV infected people is to stunt the growth of the said virus, while total eradication of it might not be possible. Thus, an effective HIV vaccine is theoretically one that would initiate a "sterilizing immunity." The vaccine could either help the body completely rid itself of the virus or help the body control the HIV enough to prevent disease progression or transmission to others.

References

HIV Infection and AIDS: An Overview" (March, 2005). National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD 20892

HIV Stages of Infection. 1999. Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center. 01 February 2007. http://www.adarc.org/frame.asp?var=about_HIV

HIV and AIDS Tutorial. 2000. The Biology Project of the University of Arizona. 01 February 2007. http://www.biology.arizona.edu/immunology/tutorials/AIDS/main.html

Vaccines. 2006. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. 01 February 2007. http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/research/topics/HIV/vaccines/.....