HIV: NEW STUDY SHOWS THAT BLOCKING PHOSPHOLIPASE DI PREVENTS HIV OF BUILDING BLOCKS REQUIRED TO GROW

A new study published in PLOS Pathogens suggests that if HIV is unable to access sugar and other nutrients after invading a cell, it will  be unable to replicate itself and in turn unable to grow and spread.
Researchers from North Western Medicine, Illinois and Vanderbilt University Tennessee were able to use a new compound to shut down immune cells and starve HIV to death.
HIV grows in specific types of cells called CD4 + T cells. When the cells are active and responding to pathogens in the blood, their suppliers of sugar and other nutrients necessary for growth are increased.
HIV purposely seeks out activated T cells and hijacks their glucose supplies.
Researchers found out that turning on a cell component called Phospholipase DI (PLDI) signaled for activated T cells to increase their supply of sugar and vital nutrients.
By blocking this component, the researchers were able to block the sugar pipeline thereby depriving HIV of building blocks to grow.
Prof. Taylor worked in Vanderbilt University where researchers had managed to identify a compound that could stop breast cancer cells from spreading by blocking Phospholipase DI.
Researchers then thought they should block the same cell component in CD4+T whether it will have the same effect in slowing the spread of HIV by blocking the supply of glucose and nutrients and they tested it and found that it prevented HIV from being able to access enough resources to produce.