Diversity in the CD4 receptor protects chimpanzees from infection by AIDS-like viruses

(University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine) Hahn's lab and an international team of collaborators, found that the CD4 surface protein, which is used by HIV and SIV as the receptor to enter immune cells, is highly variable among wild chimpanzees. Understanding how these viruses are transmitted within and between species may reveal clues for novel vaccine strategies in humans.
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news