Tick saliva protein blocks HIV-1

AMHERST, Mass., Feb. 15 (UPI) -- A U.S. study said a protein in the saliva of deer ticks prevents HIV-1 from attaching to the surface of white blood cells called T Cells.

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst said the finding may lead to new treatments for autoimmune diseases and prevent rejection of organ transplants, the university said Friday in a release.

The researchers said the HIV-1 virus cripples the human immune system by targeting T cells that form the body's first line of defense in fighting infection. Deer tick saliva contains the protein Salp15, which stops T cells from activating by binding to a specific site on their surface called the CD4 receptor.

Since T cells initiate the body's immune response to invading viruses and bacteria, this strategy allows the tick to evade a host's immune system as it feeds for up to seven days. The CD4 receptor is also the site used by the HIV-1 virus to attach to T cells, the report said.

The findings were published in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications.