Treating Kaposi's Sarcoma Through Blocking of Sugar Binding Protein Galectin-1

Kaposi's sarcoma is a cancerous tumor caused by the human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8). KS as it is usually called is also known as Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV).

Kaposi's Sarcoma is named after Hungarian dermatologist Moritz Kaposi who discovered the disease in 1872.

The tumors appear bluish-red or as purple bumps on the skin. They first appear in the feet or ankles, thighs, arms, hands, and face. Kaposi's Sarcoma tumors can also manifest in other parts of the body as well. Sometimes, the tumors appear inside the body such as in the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and other organs.

In the 1980's when AIDS first appeared, Kaposi's sarcoma was often associated with it. AIDS related KS is caused by the interaction between the Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a weakened immune system, and HHV-8. Treatment of KS in AIDS patients does not affect the chance of survival from AIDS.

Unlike other cancers, the cause of Kaposi's Sarcoma has been positively identified. The virus, HHV-8, is transmitted by the exchange of saliva between an infected person and an uninfected one. It can also be acquired through organ transplantation and to a lesser extent, blood transfusion.

There is no cure for KS but the disease can be slowed down. Antiviral therapy, chemotherapy, crytherapy (freezing), and radiation therapy are some of the treatments used to managed KS but this does not guarantee that an outbreak of lesions will not happen.

Sugar-free approach to treating Kaposi sarcoma

A sugar-loving protein drives the growth of Kaposi sarcoma (KS) tumors, according to a study published on October 1st in The Journal of Experimental Medicine. Interfering with these sugary interactions inhibited growth of Kaposi sarcomas in mice, hinting at the potential for new treatment strategies in humans.

Stem Cells Engineered To Attack HIV Virus

HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus. It is the virus that can lead to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

There are two types of HIV, HIV-1 and HIV-2. Of the two types, HIV-1 is the most common. Both types of HIV damage a person’s body by destroying specific blood cells, called CD4+ T cells, which are crucial to helping the body fight diseases.

HIV-1 is the virus that was initially discovered and termed both LAV and HTLV-III. It is more virulent, more infective, and is the major cause of HIV infections globally. The lower infectivity of HIV-2 compared to HIV-1 implies that fewer of those exposed to HIV-2 will be infected per exposure. Because of its relatively poor capacity for transmission, HIV-2 is largely confined to West Africa

The failure of the immune system leading to AIDS, allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive. Infection with HIV occurs by the transfer of bodily fluids; blood, semen, vaginal fluid, pre-ejaculate, or breast milk. HIV is present in these fluids as both free virus particles and virus within infected immune cells.

HIV can be transmitted through unsafe sex, contaminated needles, breast milk, and transmission from an infected mother to her baby at birth (perinatal transmission).

UCLA-engineered stem cells seek out and kill HIV in living organisms

Expanding on previous research providing proof-of-principal that human stem cells can be genetically engineered into HIV-fighting cells, a team of UCLA researchers have now demonstrated that these cells can actually attack HIV-infected cells in a living organism.

Stem cells can transform into any type of human cell. This ability opens up various medical applications to repair, replace or even regenerate diseased cells, organs and tissues.

The study, published in the journal PLoS Pathogens, demonstrates for the first time that engineering stem cells to form immune cells that target HIV is effective in suppressing the virus in living tissues in an animal model, said lead investigator Scott G. Kitchen, an assistant professor of medicine in the division of hematology and oncology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a member of the UCLA AIDS Institute.

New guideline: Caution needed when choosing seizure drugs for people with HIV/AIDS

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A new guideline issued by the American Academy of Neurology recommends doctors use caution when choosing seizure drugs for people with HIV/AIDS to avoid potential drug interactions. The guideline, which was co-developed with the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), is published in the January 4, 2012, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology and in Epilepsia, the journal of the ILAE.

Seizures and seizure disorders are common in people infected with HIV, with more than one in 10 patients experiencing seizures.

According to the guideline, when certain seizure drugs are combined with certain HIV/AIDS drugs, one or more of the combined drugs may become less effective or more toxic. Seizure drugs that decrease HIV/AIDS drug levels, such as phenytoin, phenobarbital and carbamazepine, may cause HIV/AIDS drugs to fail.

"It is important that patients know exactly which drugs they are taking and provide that information to all prescribing health care providers caring for them," said lead guideline author Gretchen L. Birbeck, MD, MPH, DTMH, of Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich., and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. "Doctors may need to watch and adjust drug doses in people with HIV/AIDS who take seizure drugs."

Video: HIV/AIDS vaccine proceeding to human clinical trials

Evidence shows that seizure and HIV/AIDS drug choices are limited in developing countries, causing the risk of drug interactions to be higher in those countries. "Future research should target epilepsy and HIV/AIDS drug combinations where choices are limited, such as in developing countries, to better understand the risk of these drug interactions," said Birbeck.

The guideline also found people with HIV/AIDS who also have seizures may possibly have fewer drug interactions if treated with the correct dosage of seizure drugs recommended in the guideline. Learn more about the guideline's recommendations at http://www.aan.com/guidelines.

The American Academy of Neurology, an association of 24,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis.

For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit http://www.aan.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.

The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) is the world's preeminent association of physicians and health professionals working toward a world where no person's life is limited by epilepsy. Since 1909 the ILAE has provided educational and research resources that are essential in understanding, diagnosing and treating persons with epilepsy. The ILAE supports health professionals, patients, and their care providers, governments, and the general public worldwide by advancing knowledge of epilepsy.

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