( Researchers at Université de Montréal a...)Montreal researchers identify defects of immune cells

Researchers at Université de Montréal and the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM) have successfully identified a defective immune cell population that determines susceptibility to candidiasis, a common and often debilitating infection in individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). These findings, revealed using a model of candidiasis in transgenic mice expressing HIV developed by the same research group, represents a milestone in developing a treatment for the infection and, eventually, preventing it. They are described in an article of the July 1st issue of The Journal of Immunology.

Oral and esophageal Candida albicans infections, which often affect individuals infected with HIV, may limit food consumption and lead to weight loss, threatening patients' general health and well-being. Of added concern, treatment of candidiasis in these patients is often complicated by strains of Candida albicans resistant to conventional antifungal therapies. The research project was carried out jointly by Dr. Louis de Repentigny, Director of the Medical Mycology Laboratory and Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Faculty of Medicine of Université de Montréal, and at CHU Sainte-Justine, and Dr. Paul Jolicoeur, Director of the Molecular Biology Research Unit at the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), researcher in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Faculty of Medicine of Université de Montréal, associate member of the McGill University Faculty of Medicine and holder of the Canada Research Chair on Infectious and Parasitic Diseases and Dr Zaher Hanna, Associate Director in the same Unit, researcher in the Department of Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine of Université de Montréal, associate member of the McGill University Division of Experimental Medicine.

Drs de Repentigny, Jolicœur and Hanna have for the first time succeeded in demonstrating that defective CD4+ T lymp
'"/>

Source:University of Montreal

Page: 1 2
Related biology news :

1. Montreal researchers probe the genetic basis of memory
2. NYU researchers simulate molecular biological clock
3. Vital step in cellular migration described by UCSD medical researchers
4. ASU researchers finds novel chemistry at work to provide parrots vibrant red colors
5. UCSD researchers maintain stem cells without contaminated animal feeder layers
6. Why do insects stop breathing? To avoid damage from too much oxygen, say researchers
7. New protein discovered by Hebrew University researchers
8. First real-time view of developing neurons reveals surprises, say Stanford researchers
9. Agilent Technologies releases automated literature search tool for biology researchers
10. Self-assembled nano-sized probes allow Penn researchers to see tumors through flesh and skin
11. Yale researchers identify molecule for detecting parasitic infection in humans