Image via WikipediaMore than a quarter century on the identification of HIV, accounting for about 30 million deaths, the search for a vaccine against the infection has not been successful, despite the efforts of the international scientific community.
According to the authors of the paper to be published tomorrow, the two antibodies discovered - and VRCO1 VRCO2 - showed a high potential to prevent infection of human cells to about 90 percent of circulating strains of HIV.
The researchers also demonstrated the biological mechanism by which antibodies block the virus.
"The discovery of these antigens with exceptional powers in the neutralization of HIV and the analysis of how they operate represent breakthroughs that will accelerate our efforts to find a vaccine to protect broadly against the AIDS virus", welcomed Anthony Fauci, Director of Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, U.S., who co-directed the research teams.
In a statement quoted by news agency AFP, the director stressed that the technique used by research teams to discover these antibodies represents a new approach that can be applied to the design or development of vaccines against other infectious diseases. "
Virologists have discovered these antibodies produced naturally by the body in the blood of an HIV-positive. Then managed to isolate them through a new molecular tool.
After this discovery, researchers began developing the components of a vaccine that can teach the human immune system to produce large amounts of antibodies similar to antibodies and VRCO1 VCRO2.
