These nanozymes work by mimicking a natural enzyme
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) have developed artificial enzymes that can successfully block reactivation and replication of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in the host’s immune cells.
Made from vanadium pentoxide nanosheets, these nanozymes work by mimicking a natural enzyme called glutathione peroxidase that helps reduce oxidative stress levels in the host’s cells, which is required to keep the virus in check, a release from the institute explained.
The study, published in
EMBO Molecular Medicine, was led by Amit Singh, Associate Professor and Wellcome Trust-DBT India Alliance Senior Fellow at the Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology and Centre for Infectious Diseases Research (CIDR), and Govindasamy Mugesh, Professor at the Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry
IISc develops artificial enzymes to block HIV reactivation
By IANS |
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Bengaluru, April 1 : Indian Institute of Science (IISc) researchers developed artificial enzymes to block reactivation and replication of Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) in the immune cells, said the premier institute on Thursday. Made from vanadium pentoxide nanosheets, the artificial enzymes or nanozymes work by mimicking a natural enzyme that helps reduce oxidative stress levels in the host s cells to keep the virus in check, said a study by two researchers at the institute.
Microbiology department s associate professor Amit Singh and inorganic and physical chemistry department s professor Govindaswamy Mugesh conducted the study, which was published in Embo Molecular Medicine journal.
US scientists expect to know in the next few days if coronavirus vaccines might not work against a mutated variant of the virus that s rapidly spreading in parts of England.
While there s always a worry that a vaccine won t work if a virus mutates significantly, the Walter Reed scientists still expect the vaccine will be effective against this new variant, said Dr Nelson Michael, director of the Centre for Infectious Diseases Research at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. It stands to reason that this mutation isn t a threat, but you never know. We still have to be diligent and continue to look, Dr Michael said.