Everything you needed to know about AIDS + answering why Magic Johnson has lived this long

sully

Okay...my bad on not responding earlier to the HIV thread in the Social Lounge...been in a bit of panic mode the last couple days with my studying, so i was hesitent to spend time typing out a long, thought-out answer to the questions posed there....

BTW, this is going to be long, but informative. But i'm gonna try and explain as much as I can, b/c i'm gonna be technical, but also detailed, so anyone who cares to read this, will understand it better, and understand why HIV does what it does.

If you don't care about what all the shit I write, i don't really give a fuck. Typing this all out also helps me commit this info to memory, b/c, let's be honest, i'm not a medical professional yet; I'm still studying to be one. And I don't know everything about AIDS or HIV and stuff, but i'm gonna explain as much as I can.


Now, before I proceed, if you have preconceived notions about HIV that don't match up with what I say here, then allow me to stick my dick in your ear, and fuck what ya heard!


First, a little clarity on AIDS vs. HIV.
HIV is the virus that you get, AIDS is when your body's T-cell count drops below 200. At the point at which your T-cell count is lower than 200, you are officially diagnosed with AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). This is acquired sexually via body fluids.


Now, before I go on,...

"What is a T-Cell?"

T-cells are cells in your body that make up what is called your "cellular immunity".

Now, there are two kinds of T-cells, CD8+ T-cells, and CD4+ T-cells.

T-cells are made in your bone marrow, and moved out to your thymus, where they are differentiated and given their specific functions

CD8 T-cells kill virus-infected cells, cancer (neoplastic) cells, and cells/organs from transplants (they're the fuckers that make your body reject your transplant - whole other issue...not gonna get into it). Hence, these CD8 cells are called cytotoxic T-cells. They kill upon seeing something they don't recognize from the body.

CD4+ T-cells, on the other hand, recognize something foreign, and either tell your macrophages (what we commonly refer to as "white blood cells") and CD8 T-cells to kill it, or tell your B-cells to make antibodies that will eventually get a whole other part of your immune system called the "Complement System" to kill them (this is usually reserved for bacteria).

These CD4's are the important immunity cells in HIV infections, b/c the CD8 likely won't kill virus-infected cells, until the CD4 cell tells it there's a problem.


So what happens when HIV enters your system, nigga?
HIV gets in your body, and right away the T-cells are going to come after it. But here's the problem...HIV has two proteins called gp120 and gp41. gp 120 attaches to T-cells on their surface and gp41 tricks the T-cell into letting the virus inside.

The HIV virus is an RNA virus. This means, its genetic material isn't DNA. It is the stuff that is made from DNA.

So what a virus normally does is use the host cell to make its important components (proteins and envelopes) for it. Some viruses are DNA viruses, so the DNA just uses the proteins in the cell to replicate itself.

HIV and other RNA viruses (like Hepatitis A, Hepatitis C, the common cold (Coronavirus), Rabies, Polio, etc), have an enzyme called reverse transcriptase. This enzyme takes that RNA that is in the HIV virus, and converts it to DNA, then the DNA is integrated into your own DNA in T-cells, and thus, your very own T-cells, if they aren't killed yet, will make more and more virus.

Scary right?

sully

What does this have to do with the thread, b/c I ain't readin' all this shit
Then STFU and GTFO.

First of all, T-cells have two receptors on them onto which the HIV proteins bind. CXCR4 and CCR5 (not the sexiest or most interesting names).

CCR5 is the important one for our discussion. It is on T-cells and white blood cells (macrophages).


We are, as humans, prone to mutations. It's how we get cancer. It's how we tan. It's how we evolved from shrew rodents 65 million years ago after the dinosaurs got wiped out.

The genes for our CCR5 can undergo mutations too. People carry this mutation and don't even know it. We shouldn't have to want to know this in our everyday life, but unfortunately some people find out real quick that they don't have a mutation on the gene that codes for this protein.


A brief side-track about mutations
If you remember anything from your biology class, you might remember talking about alleles. The expressions of certain traits acquired from either your mother or your father. Alleles can be dominant or recessive. They can be expressed or not expressed.

CCR5 is a dominant expression. So if you've acquired this trait from either of your parents, you've got a mutation of CCR5 protein on your T-cells. If both your parents have this trait, then you're going to acquire it from both your parents.


English motherfucker!
Nope. Here's what it all means, though.

Homozygous CCR5 mutation means HIV cannot bind to your T-cells and use them to replicate before killing them. Heterozygous CCR5 mutation means most of your T-cells have the mutation and thus HIV cannot use them to replicate before killing them.

Homozygous people are immune to HIV.

Heterozygous people have a slower progression to AIDS.

[b/]And that smiley nigga, Magic Johnson?[/b]
Magic Johnson is of the latter.

People with this mutation are called "Long-term nonprogressors". They're not exactly sure why this is the case. There are other multipliers and other considerations that are factored into the concept of Long-term nonprogressors, like mitochondrial DNA, and other possible mutations. But thus far, the most concrete answer you'll get from anyone who discusses this is that there the mutation on CCR5 on T-Cells.


Because Magic Johnson is a long-term nonprogressor, his path to officially having AIDS is much longer. It's possible he never progresses to AIDS.

To do so would mean his HIV has destroyed his T-cells to the point where his overall T-cell count is less than 200. Normal T-cell count is between 500-1500.


And Eazy-E?
Jerry-curl-havin' mofo was just shit outta luck. He didn't catch it until it was too late.

sully

What about the drugs Magic Johnson is taking, surely they must be helping?
Magic Johnson is on what's called HAART (Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy).

There are 4 main classes of drugs for HIV:
Protease Inhibitors
NRTI's (Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors)
NNRTI's (Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors)
Integrase Inhibitors

Protease Inhibitors essentially prevent the maturation of new viruses.

NRTI's and NNRTI's do the same thing, and act on the same protein, but act on a different part. It's like one is an ass-man and the other a breast-man. They both block the protein that lets the RNA genetic material from HIV convert itself into DNA.

If that DNA material is made from HIV by chance, Integrase Inhibitors prevent integration of that genetic material into your own DNA.


So, when you're on HAART, you need 2 NRTI's and 1 of or either an NNRTI, Protease Inhibitor, or Integrase Inhibitor.

In total, you will likely be on 3 drugs, plus anything else to ease the side effects or to prevent infections from something else, and other immune boosting drugs.

These all pretty much are taken together, so that's why it's referred to as a cocktail.

Now, some drugs are stronger than others. A reason why some stronger medications aren't prescribed to some people is because something with a little more side effects might be cheaper to prescribe to a patient who can't afford all the drugs.

Magic Johnson can definitely afford it. I'd even argue, the reason for all his business ventures after he retired, is partially so he has the consistent income to continue paying for checkups from the best doctors and be able to pay for all the best, most recent drugs in these drug classes.


So why does Magic Johnson smile all the time? Dat Nigga's always happy.
B/c dude won the genetic lottery and he knows it. Next time you see him on TV, recognize that he probably knows just how lucky he is to be in the position he's in to both acquire a mutation that lets his body reject HIV better than most, and he had the physical makeup to play at the highest level in the best basketball league in the world.

sully

Like M. Night Shyamalan, I come with a twist!
There are two kinds of HIV viruses. HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is the mutation that is causing the worldwide epidemic. It is also the form of the virus that Northern Europeans and Magic Johnson are relatively protected from.

HIV-1 and HIV-2 are pretty much the same, except HIV-2 is slower in its progress.

HIV-1 is, again, the one found just about everywhere. HIV-2 is mainly found in West Africa. Both are transmitted the same way.


Fuck me in the brain some more with your mind-dick, master!
People with the CCR5 mutation (approximately 5% of all people with HIV), are more prone to West Nile Virus.

It's also theorized that the mutation has held on in the population, and is more prevalent in Northern Europeans b/c it was responsible for keeping people safe from the Black Plague (Yersinia pestis infection). This isn't exactly confirmed though, but it's a theory that's out there and has research being conducted. The theory falls apart a bit b/c the Black Death didn't just effect Europe. It was actually in Egypt and Northern Africa before it reached Europe, and probably in the Middle East before that. And like most plagues and epidemics, probably started as a pandemic in China and moved across the land via the Silk Road.

f.cashflow99

These terms is kind of confusing, so you saying some dudes even if they catch HIV, because of their genetic make up, they probably wont ever get aids?

So why does Magic take the treatment if that's the case with him?

Explain in simple terms its early in the morning nigga....

sully

f.cashflow99 wrote: »

These terms is kind of confusing, so you saying some dudes even if they catch HIV, because of their genetic make up, they probably wont ever get aids?

So why does Magic take the treatment if that's the case with him?

Explain in simple terms its early in the morning nigga....

They have a genetic mutation that holds off the virus. So, yes, if they might never get AIDS if they have HIV.

Magic probably takes treatment b/c he still has the virus in him. You don't want to take risks. He probably doesn't take it as often, or maybe not high doses of the medication.

I Am Jay Pee

There are some people I forgot what Nickname they gave them, but basically they can get infected with HIV, but it will not spread and kill them. They just carry the virus for the rest of their lifes. Its 1 in 300 people can do this supposedly.

And There are people who had HIV since the 80s and still living without the medication

sully

I Am Jay Pee wrote: »

There are some people I forgot what Nickname they gave them, but basically they can get infected with HIV, but it will not spread and kill them. They just carry the virus for the rest of their lifes. Its 1 in 300 people can do this supposedly.

And There are people who had HIV since the 80s and still living without the medication

Long-term Nonprogressors.

it's all there in what i typed.

f.cashflow99

So my dude, what's the likelyhood of a cure? is that something we could see in our lifetime or ever at all?

Or is it something the governments will never release given the amount of money they can generate from all that treatment.

Ajackson17

Great thread Sully!

jay83

f.cashflow99 wrote: »

So my dude, what's the likelyhood of a cure? is that something we could see in our lifetime or ever at all?

Or is it something the governments will never release given the amount of money they can generate from all that treatment.

There were a couple of dudes in germany i think who have been aids free so far since getting a bone marrow transplant.

CeLLaR-DooR

Yo GOAT thread bruh

Jamaica

how did cookie and their child not get infected in anyway?

MzzKlapBak

Glad you finally answered. I was in the social lounge waiting!

CeLLaR-DooR

Jamaica wrote: »

how did cookie and their child not get infected in anyway?

Yeah I watched an episode of Grey's Anatomy (nh) and that pretty blonde told her patients that there was like a very high chance their kid wouldn't be infected...

King Erauno

good thread. very informative.

govt was really on some shit to create this virus

jayvon32

Interesting information....I salute this knowledge!

VIBE

So the man who injects himself w the HIV, he's immune to it?

politicalthug202

They pretty close to cure nd they have clinical trials going on for a vaccine.
the vaccine trials in spain were like 25% effective. They have a HIV vaccine trial going on here in Chicago you have to but you have to be a gay dude to qualify

jay83

Well there are cures, but viruses are alot more complicated.

Plus when most people say the word "cure", they think an instant end all be all.
Like you show up you take a shot and its gone.

There are cures for different viruses, but its not instant and might take 6 months to multiple years to heal.

fortyacres&amule

aids dont bust its gun no more b

Plutarch

wow, my mind is blown. great thread and also props to those who contributed.

oh and i was going to give you a goat for that one post but had to give you the LOL for that ass-man/breast-man analogy heh.

jono

Yo, while we on the subject a few years ago I researched this HIV resistant gene (CCR5) and found that it has its highest concentration in Northern Europe and Central Asia. This kinda plays into the hands of conspiracy theorists that believe HIV was created to kill Black people.


I am not a conspiracy theorist but I can say its a pretty damn big coincidence. Also from what I found this resistant gene is more of a "mutation" and of course it doesn't make them immune to HIV.


But I've also seen contrary information that says CCR5 is LACKING in those people, which leads to being HIV resistance... So is it that the CCR5 is present and HIV has trouble attaching to it or is it that HIV has trouble attaching itself to people who don't have the CCR5 gene?

Disciplined InSight

Very informative thread. Props to Sully..

Makaveli Joker

Oh. Ok

Mdizzle9000

How can I find out if I'm immune to hiv so I can continue to fuck these hoes raw with no stress?