Nearly half a century has passed since the first case of HIV was reported, and though there is still no cure, a Boston University scientist is at the forefront of research that could potentially slow the spread of HIV and allow patients to live longer, healthier lives.
The team, a collaboration of scientists from BU and Pennsylvania State University, found that by introducing selenium –– a nutrient –– they were able to slow the spread of HIV, Penn State team lead scientist Sandeep Prabhu said. Selenium is a trace mineral that humans need in small quantities to live. HIV/AIDS patients tend to be selenium-deficient and could potentially bolster their immune systems with selenium supplements.
“It makes them healthier and need less hospitalization,” Prabhu, a Penn State assistant veterinary and biomedical sciences professor, said. “And it’s not expensive. It’s a few cents a pill. It should help the rich and poor –– that’s the beauty of it.”
HIV-positive individuals, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa where nutrients are scarce to begin with, have been taking selenium supplements for years and seeing positive results without understanding the reason, Prabhu said.
BU School of Medicine and team leading scientist Andrew Henderson said the public should be cautious of drawing sweeping conclusions from this research about selenium as a treatment for HIV.
“We have cells sitting in a test tube, and we’re putting selenium directly on top of them,” he said. “It is too far extrapolated what you can do in a test tube and what you can do to a human being. It’s still very far from being a drug.”
He said the research is far from negative, however.
“It’s the goal to give people extra years on their life,” Henderson, a BU associate infectious disease professor, said. “If we provide other people the information to improve their studies, then we’ve achieved our goal.”
Henderson said the research sheds light on something he thinks the medical community has understudied.
In the lab, Henderson offered expertise in HIV replication, and Prabhu brought forth his nutrition expertise. After many “hallway meetings” and a “couple successful experiments,” the two decided to team up, Henderson said.
“If you talk to people enough, ideas happen,” Henderson said.
Prabhu said Henderson is a “pioneer” in HIV transcription work. Henderson, who began the research as a professor at Penn State, said he came to BU so that he could expand the level of research he was doing. His team is currently researching other proteins that may influence the spread of HIV.
The National Institute of Health has been partially funding the team, which is in the process of applying for another grant to potentially fund human trials, Prabhu said. Both researchers said there is still a long way to go.
“It can take a long time to translate a basic finding into anything that is practical, but you need the basic finding to build on the information,” NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases pathogenesis and basic research branch Chief Diana Finzi said. “Sometimes what happens at a cellular level doesn’t always translate to a patient level.”
The team began working together three years ago and recently published its findings in The Journal of Biological Chemistry on Nov. 28.
Finding could help HIV patients live for longer
Published: Friday, December 5, 2008
Updated: Friday, December 5, 2008
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