Revisión actual del contexto legal y ético de la experimentación con embriones humanos

En este estudio se pretende hacer una revisión de la situación actual de la experimentación con embriones humanos. El derecho comparativo entre distintos países revela tres posturas legislativas principales: permisiva, restrictiva y prohibitiva. En cuanto a las influencias, se comenta el estatuto del embrión desde el punto de visto religioso y sociopolítico. Además, se abordan problemas éticos y dilemas actuales asociados, comenzando con el famoso Caso Brüstle y culminando con los últimos estudios de células quiméricas. La disparidad de posiciones legales y sociales, junto con los nuevos avances tecnológicos, deja en evidencia la necesidad de un consenso internacional que marque los límites de los ensayos con embriones y aclare la identidad del estatuto del embrión. This study is aimed to review the current situation regarding experimentation with human embryos. Comparative law among different countries reveals three main legislative positions: permissive, restrictive and prohibitive. In regard to influences, the status of the embryo is discussed from the religious and sociopolitical point of view. In addition, ethical issues and current dilemmas associated are broached, beginning with the famous Brüstle Case and culminating with the latest chimeric cell studies. The disparity of legal and social positions, together with new technological advances, highlights the need for an international consensus that defines the limits of embryo testing and clarifies the identity of the status of the embryo.

Broadly neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies to the hepatitis C virus E2 glycoprotein

The humoral response to hepatitis C virus (HCV) may contribute to controlling infection. We previously isolated human monoclonal antibodies to conformational epitopes on the HCV E2 glycoprotein. Here, we report on their ability to inhibit infection by retroviral pseudoparticles incorporating a panel of full-length E1E2 clones representing the full spectrum of genotypes 1–6. We identified one antibody, CBH-5, that was capable of neutralizing every genotype tested. It also potently inhibited chimeric cell culture-infectious HCV, which had genotype 2b envelope proteins in a genotype 2a (JFH-1) background. Analysis using a panel of alanine-substitution mutants of HCV E2 revealed that the epitope of CBH-5 includes amino acid residues that are required for binding of E2 to CD81, a cellular receptor essential for virus entry. This suggests that CBH-5 inhibits HCV infection by competing directly with CD81 for a binding site on E2.