Researchers have identified a compound called TAT2 derived from Astragalus, an herb used in traditional Chinese medicine, can prevent or slow progressive telomere shortening in immune cells, which could make useful in the treatment of HIV infections.

They tested TAT2 in several ways. First, they exposed the CD8 T-cells from HIV-infected persons to TAT2 to see if the chemical not only slowed the shortening of the telomeres but improved the cells' production of soluble factors called chemokines and cytokines, which had previously been shown to inhibit HIV replication. It did.

They then took blood samples from HIV-infected individuals and separated out the CD8 T-cells and the CD4 T-cells - those infected with HIV. They treated the CD8 T-cells with TAT2 and combined them with the CD4 T-cells in the dish and found that the treated CD8 cells inhibited production of HIV by the CD4 cells.

Researchers say that given these properties, the compound may be useful not only in treating HIV disease, but also immunodeficiency and increased susceptibility to other viral infections associated with chronic diseases or aging. The study