HIV has become one of the most feared diseases of the world community in the last few decades. Antiviral drugs have been developed that help treat the disease, although no cure has yet been found. Many pharmaceutical approaches are being investigated to battle the disease. Using what you know about how HIV infects human cells and the body's own cellular structure, answer the following questions in one or two well-developed paragraphs for each part of the question.

One possible way to combat HIV invasion of the cell is to develop a drug which could destroy the "envelope" that surrounds the HIV particle.

Explain the function of this envelope and how the drug would help stop HIV infection.

Why has this approach NOT been used on people?

Reverse transcriptase inhibitors are currently used in AIDS treatments. These drugs act by inhibiting reverse transcriptase activity. Explain the function of reverse transcriptase inhibitors and how this drug would help stop HIV infection.

I've looked it up in my book and on the web. I still can't find any onfo on the "envelop" of an HIV cell. If any of you know anything about it, it would help.
:)

The envelope of the HIV particle is derived from the host cell's membrane during the process of viral assembly. It is made up of lipids and proteins and plays a critical role in the entry of the virus into human cells. The envelope contains glycoproteins known as gp120 and gp41, which are essential for the binding and fusion of the virus with the host cell.

Developing a drug that could destroy the envelope of the HIV particle would help stop HIV infection by preventing the virus from entering human cells. By destroying the envelope, the virus would lose its ability to bind and fuse with the host cell, thereby stopping the infection process.

However, this approach has not been used on people for several reasons. Firstly, targeting the envelope could have potential side effects on the host cell's membrane, as both have similar compositions. Destroying the envelope could lead to adverse effects on healthy cells. Secondly, HIV can quickly mutate, and targeting a specific component like the envelope may lead to the emergence of resistant strains of the virus, rendering the drug ineffective. Lastly, the development of a drug aimed at destroying the envelope would require extensive research and testing to ensure its safety and effectiveness, which can be a time-consuming and expensive process.

Reverse transcriptase inhibitors (RTIs) are a class of drugs used in AIDS treatments. The function of reverse transcriptase inhibitors is to inhibit the activity of the enzyme reverse transcriptase, which is vital for the replication of HIV. Reverse transcriptase converts the viral RNA into DNA, which is then integrated into the host cell's genome.

By inhibiting reverse transcriptase activity, RTIs prevent the conversion of viral RNA into DNA, consequently hindering the replication of HIV. This inhibition helps to slow down the progression of the disease and reduce the viral load in the body.

RTIs have been extensively researched and proven to be effective in HIV treatment. They are an essential component of combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens used to manage HIV infection. However, it is important to note that although RTIs are effective in suppressing HIV replication, they do not eliminate the virus from the body entirely. Continuous adherence to ART is necessary to maintain viral suppression and prevent the development of drug-resistant strains.