与许多疾病有关的氧自由基

氧自由基是机体代谢中一瞬即逝的有害中间产物。因正常机体能迅速将之清除,其病理作用至今才有了一些了解。许多有氧参加的生化反应产生作为副产物的含氧自由基,能损伤甚至杀死细胞。据最近由美国国立心肺血液研究所举办的会     

治癌疗效的不同原因何在？

几年来,癌症研究人员和临床医师已经懂得,他们面对的敌人并非一个,其种类似乎是无穷的。确实,笼统的病名“癌症”,掩盖着实际上是数百种各有特征的不同癌症的事实。这是癌症之所以难治的主要原因。对一种组织（乳房、肺或血液）的癌症有效的药物,常常对另一组织的癌症无效。甚至看似同一类型的癌症,对同一治疗的反应,常常差异甚大：有些很快被抑制,有些照常发展。现在,研究人员已掌握一种新工具,不仅有助于区分多种癌症的不同类型,而且有助于认定治疗药物的新靶标。 这工具就是ＤＮＡ芯片。在芯片上系统地星罗棋布着取自数千种…     

诺贝尔奖金授予抗体研究的突破者

一位分子生物学家因在阐明免疫系统如何制造花样如此众多的抗体研究方面的贡献而被授予诺贝尔奖金     

Protection of macaques from vaginal SHIV challenge by vaginally delivered inhibitors of virus-cell fusion

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) continues to spread, principally by heterosexual sex, but no vaccine is available. Hence, alternative prevention methods are needed to supplement educational and behavioural-modification programmes. One such approach is a vaginal microbicide: the application of inhibitory compounds before intercourse. Here, we have evaluated the microbicide concept using the rhesus macaque 'high dose' vaginal transmission model with a CCR5-receptor-using simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV-162P3) and three compounds that inhibit different stages of the virus-cell attachment and entry process. These compounds are BMS-378806, a small molecule that binds the viral gp120 glycoprotein and prevents its attachment to the CD4 and CCR5 receptors, CMPD167, a small molecule that binds to CCR5 to inhibit gp120 association, and C52L, a bacterially expressed peptide inhibitor of gp41-mediated fusion. In vitro, all three compounds inhibit infection of T cells and cervical tissue explants, and C52L acts synergistically with CMPD167 or BMS-378806 to inhibit infection of cell lines. In vivo, significant protection was achieved using each compound alone and in combinations. CMPD167 and BMS-378806 were protective even when applied 6 h before challenge.