Scientists Discover New Drug Targets for AIDS

Scientists at Harvard have dramatically expanded the list of potential drug targets for AIDS with an announcement yesterday of the discovery of 273 proteins required for survival of the AIDS virus in humans.

Prior to the study, researchers had identified only a few dozen molecules needed by the virus to infect human cells. Because AIDS progression hinges on their presence, targeting them could slow infection.

The authors found the proteins by using an emerging research method called RNA interference that eliminates individual proteins and elucidates their role by measuring the effect of their absence.

The eight Harvard researchers urged use of the technique for other human pathogens as well, writing that their experiment had demonstrated the “power” of RNA interference to find new forms of treatment.


Genetic Mutation for Autism Found

Harvard researchers have discovered a genetic mutation accounting for 1 percent of autism cases.

They hope studying the genes could eventually shed light on biological causes of autism and permit genetic tests. An inherited developmental disorder, autism’s genetic underpinnings have been shrouded in mystery.

The disorder hampers social development and communication of one in every 150 American children younger than 3, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Although it explains only a small portion of cases, the newly uncovered mutation is “either as frequent as or more frequent than the most common known cause of autism,” the study authors wrote. Only 10 percent of autism disorders have known genetic causes, despite its high heritability.

The research, led by Medical School professor Mark J. Daly, was published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.


Girls' Weight May Depend on Perceived Social Status

A girl’s view of her social status can result in weight change, according to a new study by Harvard researchers.

The study of more than 4,000 teenage girls found that those who saw themselves as more popular gained less weight over a two-year period than those who saw themselves as less popular.

Previous research has shown that emotional factors such as depression, low self-esteem, and self-perception contribute to obesity in adolescence. This survey, the authors wrote, was the first to evaluate the relationship between social status in schools and weight change.

The paper appears in this month’s Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.


Free Samples Found to Benefit Wealthy and Insured

Poor and uninsured patients are less likely to receive free drug samples than those who are wealthier and insured, according to a new study.

More than one in 10 Americans received at least one free sample in 2003 and 80 percent of recipients were insured.

Less than 20 percent of recipients were uninsured for at least part of the year and about a third had low incomes—measured as under $37,000 for a family of four.

Samples “do little for the needy,” study author and lecturer at the Medical School Sarah L. Cutrona said in a statement.

Ethnic, linguistic, and racial minorities were also less likely to receive free samples.

Free samples have been criticized as a drug marketing practice aimed at encouraging doctors to initially prescribe a certain medication.

The study will be published in next month’s issue of the American Journal of Public Health.


Medicare May Improve Health of Previously Uninsured

Previously uninsured adults showed improvements in health after receiving Medicare coverage, in a study by researchers at Harvard Medical School.

The improvement in health was particularly prevalent in individuals with

cardiovascular disease or diabetes.

The authors wrote that near-universal Medicare coverage at age 65 would have a substantial impact on the health of previously uninsured adults.

Chronic diseases are prevalent and insurance coverage is often unaffordable for older uninsured adults, the study said.

The study was released at the end of last month in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

For recent research, faculty profiles, and a look at the issues facing Harvard scientists, check out The Crimson's science page.