Cancer researchers have discovered proteins within Australia's coral reef that could block HIV from spreading, Science Daily reported.
The proteins were found in a feathery-type coral reef from Australia's northern coast. The proteins, titled cnidarins, have the potential to stop the HIV virus from attacking T-cells. Scientists hope the proteins could one day be developed into gels and lubricants used during sexual intercourse to decrease chances of contracting the virus.
"It's always thrilling when you find a brand-new protein that nobody else has ever seen before," said Barry O'Keefe, deputy chief of the Molecular Target's Laboratory at the National Cancer Institute's Center for Cancer Research, Science Daily reported. "And the fact that this protein appears to block HIV infection- and to do it in a completely new way- makes this truly exciting."
The cnidarins were tested for its ability to block laboratory strains of HIV. The results showed the coral's proteins could block HIV during the first step of transmission, when the virus penetrates the T-cells of the immune system.
"We found that cnidarins bind to the virus and prevent it from fusing with the T-cell membrane," Koreen Ramessar, a NCI postdoctoral research fellow, said according to Science Daily. "This is completely different from what we've seen with other proteins, so we think the cnidarin proteins have a unique mechanism of action."
The cnidarins were also able to block the virus without causing it to become resistant to HIV drugs, making them suitable for gels that women can apply to protect against infection.
Scientists want to conduct further testing to see if it can be used against other viruses.
"Making more of it is a big key," O'Keefe said according to Science Daily. "You can't strip Earth of this coral trying to harvest this protein, so our focus now is finding ways to produce more of it so we can proceed with preclinical testing."
