ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 10, 1997 TAG: 9704100057
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-13 EDITION: METRO
Studies find protein link to AIDS virus
WASHINGTON - Researchers say they have found a way to genetically prevent the formation of a key protein that allows the AIDS virus to infect some cells, offering promise for a radically new treatment.
Recent studies have shown that the HIV virus must link with specific proteins on the surface of cells before it can infect the cell. These surface proteins are called receptors.
One of the receptors, CD4, has long been known. Studies last year showed that the virus must also link with one of two other cell receptors, CCR5 or CXCR4.
Generally, the virus uses the CCR5 receptor to invade cells early in the infection. After the virus mutates, it also uses CXCR4.
Scientists at the Naval Medical Research Institute in Bethesda, Md. announced this week that in laboratory experiments, they are now able to prevent T-cells, the primary HIV target, from making the surface protein CCR5. This, in effect, shuts down the ability of the virus to infect the T-cells, said Dr. Carl H. June of the institute.
``We know that if you are born without the CCR5 gene, it is very hard to get infected with HIV,'' said June. ``Our work shows that you can artificially induce this immunity by turning off the CCR5 gene in the nucleus of the cell.''
A report on the study is to be published Friday in the journal Science.
-ASSOCIATED PRESS
Bob Dole signs as counsel with Washington law firm
WASHINGTON - Bob Dole is unemployed no more.
The former Senate majority leader and 1996 Republican presidential nominee signed on Wednesday as special counsel with the Washington law firm of Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand.
There will be several familiar faces in Dole's new office - including former Democratic Senate colleagues George Mitchell of Maine and Lloyd Bentsen of Texas.
In a statement, the former Kansas senator said he was looking forward to this ``nonpartisan reunion. ... The best part will be no filibusters, no cloture votes and no quorum calls.'' He also joked that joining the 170-member firm was ``a long way from my first two-man law office in Russell, Kansas.''
Financial terms of the arrangement were not disclosed; Dole had made clear early in his search for a law firm that he would not engage in lobbying.
-ASSOCIATED PRESS
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