My PBL this week involves describing and differentiating acute and chronic inflammation. Unfortunately, to understand the million abbreviations and processes described, I basically have to learn the entire rest of the immunology book.
But, it is fascinating and I am enjoying it. Beats ortho anyway.....
However, I'm afraid I don't know much about it at all, and sometimes its hard to get my head around it. I keep getting questions popping up in my mind, especially when it comes to HIV which particularly interests me.... Can anyone help?
1. Is it possible to culture and then infuse a patient with NK cells, and thus treat viral infections?
2. Hepatitis can be treated with interferon, why not HIV?
3. Would it be possible to introduce free artificial CD4 receptors that would irreversibly bind HIV to "mop up" the virus in the system?
4. Is it possible that COX and LOX inhibitors e.g. paracetamol and other NSAID's actually dampen immune response enough to prolong infection?
5. Does HIV affect expression of MHC's in any way? If so how?
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2 comments:
To 4, the answer is definitely yes.
I think studies with people with HCV and HIV have shown that basically interferon doesn't work as well for either because the immune system is too shot. NK cells also do not function normally in HIV, and they think it is because of IFN problems, in part.
I think it is not used as a treatment because the antivirals are so effective (large cohorts have the same life expectancy as age and comorbidity matched controls) without the side effects.
HIV downregulates HLA A and B. I think not the others.
Thank you, month long elective. The chapter on HIV in Harrison is good and goes into a lot of detail without being unreadable.
Oh yeah - and 3 = no because some of the virus is always in cells.
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