Study: Natural molecule may help fight AIDS

As the illness progress, the T-cells, and even those not infected with HIV, are weakened and begin to self-destruct in a process known as apoptosis. But researchers found that adding the molecule called interleukin 7 to blood samples from 24 HIV-infected patients at varying stages of infection reduced the levels of cell destruction.

The effects differed according, but initial results showed that the molecule could be used with anti-retroviral drugs to help rebuild damaged cells, the researchers said.