Micaela Richter
BIOL 300
7 March 2017
Project Proposal
Chiraag and I will replicate the model described in Specific therapy regimes could lead to long-term immunological control of HIV by Dominik Wodarz and Martin A. Nowak. The paper studies a few antiviral treatment regimes and how they affect the relationship between HIV and the immune system throughout infection. Specifically, the paper addresses the failure of the current treatment regimes (combination therapy) in completely eliminating HIV from infected patients while highlighting interest in searching for therapies that can “reduce virus load and restimulate immune responses, therby turning the balance between HIV and the immune system in favor of the immune system” (14464). The model proposed explores how different treatment regimes can eventually produce effective immune responses and therefore control of HIV in the long term. The authors of the paper hypothesize, based on their model, that in order to control the virus, the establishment of an efficient cytotoxic T lymphocyte memory response is needed.
The model proposed contains four state variables(1) and ten parameters. The state variables are related by a system of four differential equations, each variable changing with time. The parameters describe production and death rates of uninfected CD4+ T cells, infection rate of the T cells, and similar quantities for the infected T cells and for CTL precursors and effectors. The assumptions of the model are as follows:
1. establishment of a long term CTL response is dependent on the help of the CD4+ T cells
2. the function of the T helper cells is impaired by HIV
The authors note that after infection, the system either establishes a sustained and effective CTL response and thus the viral load remains at low levels, or the CTL response is not established and the virus is not contained.
(1) uninfected CD4+ T cells (x), infected CD4+ T cells (y), cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) precursors (w), and CTL effectors (z).
Note: Dear BIOL 300 instructors, I did not have time to finish the proposal as our paper was accepted just a few hours ago - I apologize
