Melatonin and HIV Infections

Adam, our first and most successful HIV mouse, reversed his HIV infection using only EGCG and melatonin. The use of quercetin and anti-oxidants came later.

http://grouppekurosawa.com/blog/2006/01/from-hiv-fast-progressor-to-almost.htm

EGCG blocks STAT1 activity, which reduces macrophage activation, HIV synthesis in macrophages, TRAIL induced bystander cell death, and a host of other STAT1 dependent pathways.

EGCG can stop the progression of the HIV disease, but there is little evidence that it can stimulate the immune system to rebound, and quicklym so as in Adam's case.

That leaves us with melatonin, the sleep hormone. Melatonin is known to activate various aspects of the immune system, and it's synthesis is apparently deficient in HIV infections.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/queryd.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&
dopt=Abstract&list_uids=14735378&itool=pubmed_docsum

Melatonin stimulates IL-12 synthesis in the body. The synthesis of both melatonin and IL-12, an immune hormone that stimulates cell mediated immunity, decrease in parallel as the HIV disease process progresses.

Interestingly, melatonin binds monocytes and CD4 T cells, but not CD8 cells.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/queryd.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&
dopt=Abstract&list_uids=11472402&itool=pubmed_docsum

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/queryd.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&
dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16316470&itool=pubmed_docsum

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/queryd.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&
dopt=Abstract&list_uids=9218571&itool=pubmed_docsum

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/queryd.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&
dopt=Abstract&list_uids=10579467&itool=pubmed_docsum

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/queryd.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&
dopt=Abstract&list_uids=7557023&itool=pubmed_docsum

As I have reported many times, Grouppe Kurosawa has clients and Mice who report steadily decreasing HIV titers, are healthy, yet whose CD4 T cell counts continue to decrease below 200/mm3. Why?

The simple answer is that blocking the progression of the virus does not mean the CD4 T cell count and other immune parameters will suddently restore themselves to normal levels.

They need "a push". Melatonin is certainly one of the potential immune activators that we could use.

I found the following abstract in a box, filed away and long forgotten. I have never read the full paper since I can't get my hands on it. But the abstract is exciting in and of itself.

If you nothing else in this essay, read the following abstract.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/queryd.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&
dopt=Abstract&list_uids=8844341&itool=pubmed_docsum

The authors found that HIV infected persons with CD4 counts below 200 could have their entire immune system activated by a combination of low IL-2 concentrations and melatonin. In some of the subjects, their CD4 T cell counts increased by 30%. Moreover, their entire immune systems seemed to rebound. These subjects took 40 mg of melatonin at night orally and daily subcutaneous injections of the immune hormone IL-2.

We can get the melatonin, but we cannot get the IL-2. The stuff is very expensive and must be administered by a physician. BUT, we can make our own IL-2 in the body.

There is a method to my madness.

Stay tuned...

Grouppe Kurosawa, Medicine in the Public Interest
(http://www.grouppekurosawa.com)