The reason deadly infections like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C never go away is because these viruses disarm the body’s defense system. Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) have discovered that a key immunity protein must be present for this defense system to have a chance against chronic infection.

Research up to now has tried but failed to decipher the cross-talk between ‘killer T-cells’ and ‘helper T-cells’ in the fight against viruses. The new UAB study finds this cross-talk can only happen in the presence of interleukin-21, a powerful immune system protein. If interleukin-21 is missing for whatever reason, then the immune system’s anti-viral efforts fail, said Allan Zajac, Ph.D., an associate professor in UAB’s Department of Microbiology and lead author on the study.

The findings are published in the journal Science through its Science Express service.

“Adding interleukin-21 back in stimulates the immune response and controls the infection,” Zajac said. “We demonstrate that the loss of this protein prevents the control of the infection and diminishes the function of the killer T-cells, specifically CD8 T-cells.”

The study mice were treated for lymphocytic choriomeningitis, a viral infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Measurements were taken for two types of T-cells, CD4 and CD8 T-cells, before and after the mice were treated with interleukin-21.

“Interleukin-21 served as the key messenger between the T-cells, whereas before we didn’t know exactly how the two types of cells communicated with each other,” Zajac said. The CD4 T-cells help the immune system do its job by boosting CD8 T-cells’ ability to fight and kill viruses.

Co-authors on the study include John Yi and Ming Du, Ph.D., both of UAB’s Department of Microbiology. Research funds came from the National Institutes of Health.

Source:
Troy Goodman

University of Alabama at Birmingham

DKT Ethiopia and TOTAL Ethiopia have formed a groundbreaking partnership to run a pilot project to promote condoms to housemaids and other low-income women.

Housemaids are particularly vulnerable to HIV because of their gender and age as well as isolating employment conditions. Anecdotal evidence also suggests that many housemaids turn to sex work upon quitting domestic work, at which point they can be highly vulnerable to HIV. One of the few locations to reach housemaids is at kerosene sales points.

The pilot, called Condoms and Kerosene, will raise the awareness of housemaids and other kerosene buyers about condoms. It will include daily condom demonstrations and distribution at the Sidist Kilo (”Lions”) Total Station.

The opening ceremony for the pilot took place on Saturday 9 May 2009 at Sidist Kilo (”Lions”) TOTAL station, Addis Ababa. Speeches were made by the TOTAL Ethiopia MD, Bernard Lacaze, DKT Co-ordinator Ken Divelbess, Ethiopian Business Coalition Against HIV/AIDS Executive Director, Tadesse Tekallign and TOTAL Ethiopia Marketing Manager, Herve Huclin. Invited guests included representatives from the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and the Ministry of Education.

The pilot will run for 60 days.

“As with all TOTAL’s Sustainable Development Responsible Programs, this project targeting low-income vulnerable women, is addressing the needs of the communities we serve and we are proud to be partnering with DKT Ethiopia on this ground-breaking activity”.

Bernard Lacaze, MD, TOTAL Ethiopia

“DKT strives to reach all sectors of society with condom messaging and promotion - this pilot between DKT and TOTAL has the potential to reach an as-yet unserved group.”

<>Ken Divelbess, Coordinator, DKT

The partnership is supported by the Ethiopian Business Coalition Against HIV/AIDS (EBCA), the World Bank Institute, the Rapid Results Institute and Timret Le Hiwot (TLH).

Source
The Ethiopian Business Coalition Against HIV/AIDS (EBCA)