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June 23
1946, 11:20pm: William S. Hart, 81, dies at L.A.'s California Lutheran Hospital, leaving his Newhall estate and his (now West) Hollywood home to the public [story]
Hart dies


hhs_nih_logo[NIH] – HIV has proven stubbornly resistant to potential vaccines. Most vaccines work by triggering the immune system to produce antibodies that help beat back infections. But proteins on HIV’s surface mutate rapidly and change shape continuously. These quick transformations keep most antibodies from latching onto and neutralizing the virus.

Researchers have found antibodies that can neutralize many different strains of HIV. These broadly neutralizing antibodies bind to small unchanging regions of the HIV envelope protein Env. But strategies to make vaccines that prompt the body to produce antibodies against these regions have had limited success.

Illustration of the HIV viral surface shows where the HIV envelope protein (blue) binds regions of CD4 (red) and CCR5 (green) to enter cells. The researchers designed their compound to mimic this binding. Image by the researchers, courtesy of Nature.

Illustration of the HIV viral surface shows where the HIV envelope protein (blue) binds regions of CD4 (red) and CCR5 (green) to enter cells. The researchers designed their compound to mimic this binding. Image by the researchers, courtesy of Nature.

A team of researchers led by Dr. Michael Farzan of the Scripps Research Institute took a novel approach to try to protect against a wide variety of HIV viruses. All HIV strains infect cells by attaching to the CD4 protein on the surface of target cells. The virus also must bind to another cell protein, called a coreceptor, to gain entry. Most HIV strains use the protein CCR5 as a coreceptor. Once HIV binds CD4, it changes shape to expose the part of the virus that binds CCR5.

Armed with this knowledge, the researchers decided to create a fusion protein with a form of CD4 on one end and a crucial piece of CCR5 on the other. This fusion protein, called eCD4-Ig, might potentially block both points of viral binding. The study was funded by NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and National Cancer Institute (NCI). Results appeared online in Nature on February 18, 2015.

In lab experiments, eCD4-Ig inhibited more strains of HIV with greater efficiency than any known broadly neutralizing antibody. When the researchers tested the compound in a mouse model of HIV infection, the mice were protected from infection.

The researchers next tested whether eCD4-Ig therapy could protect rhesus macaques from an HIV-like virus called SHIV, which infects monkeys. The team inserted a gene that codes for the eCD4-Ig protein into a harmless virus, or vector. When injected into 4 monkeys, the vector infected the animals’ cells and caused them to produce eCD4-Ig.

These treated monkeys were then exposed to SHIV. All of the animals remained healthy 6 weeks after the final SHIV injection. In contrast, all 4 untreated animals became infected after exposure to SHIV.

“Our compound is the broadest and most potent entry inhibitor described so far,” Farzan says. “Unlike antibodies, which fail to neutralize a large fraction of HIV-1 strains, our protein has been effective against all strains tested, raising the possibility it could be part of an effective HIV vaccine alternative.”

With further development, this compound could potentially be used as both a preventative drug and as a treatment. Various technical and safety issues will need to be addressed before it could be tested in people.

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LOCAL NEWS HEADLINES
Friday, Jun 20, 2025
June 28: Amateur Ham Radio National Field Day at Acton Park
Amateur Ham Radio National Field Day will be held Saturday, June 28, at Acton Park, noon to 9 p.m.
Thursday, Jun 19, 2025
Pioneer Oil Refinery Park Opens to the Public in Newhall
The Pioneer Oil Refinery off of Pine Street in Newhall was built in 1877 by California Star Oil works, forming the foundation for the West Coast oil industry. Benzene and kerosene were the main products made in the refinery and were later sold locally in Ventura and Santa Barbara.
Thursday, Jun 19, 2025
Santa Clarita Hiring for Positions at Hart Park
Love the outdoors? Passionate about community programs? The city of Santa Clarita is hiring part-time Recreation Leaders to help bring events, camps and nature programs to life at William S. Hart Park.
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Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
1946, 11:20pm: William S. Hart, 81, dies at L.A.'s California Lutheran Hospital, leaving his Newhall estate and his (now West) Hollywood home to the public [story]
Hart dies
1972 - Vasquez Rocks added to National Register of Historic Places [list]
Vasquez Rocks
The Agua Dulce Women's Club Community Blood Drive will be held Wednesday, June 25, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. at 33201 Agua Dulce Canyon Road, Agua Dulce, CA 91390.
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The regular meeting of the Saugus Union School District Governing Board of Trustees will be held Tuesday, June 24 beginning at 6:40 p.m. The board will first meet in closed session at 5:30 p.m.
June 24: Saugus Union School District Board Regular Meeting
1941 - Ernie Hickson buys out Trem Carr's interest in their Monogram movie ranch, renames it "Placeritos" (later called Melody) [story]
Ernie Hickson
The Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees will hold a meeting Wednesday, June 25, beginning with a closed session at 2:30 p.m. The open session begins at 5 p.m.
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The Santa Clarita Valley Food Pantry, the longest-running and largest food assistance organization in the SCV, has been selected by Albertsons Companies to receive a $30,000 makeover grant.
SCV Food Pantry to Receive $30K ‘Makeover’ from Albertsons
The Samuel Dixon Family Health Center invites the community to the Third Annual Cornhole Tournament on Saturday, June 21 at 11 a.m. at Lucky Luke Brewing Company.
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Calling all Los Angeles County artists and performers. If you're part of a dance, music, vocal, musical theater or circus group, you are encouraged to apply to be part of the 66th Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration.
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The Castaic Union School District Governing Board will hold its regular meeting Thursday, June 26 at 6 p.m. The board will first meet in closed session at 5 p.m.
June 26: CUSD Board of Trustees Regular Meeting
Amateur Ham Radio National Field Day will be held Saturday, June 28, at Acton Park, noon to 9 p.m.
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June 23-27: Castaic Area I-5 Lane Closures
2002 - "Legacy: Santa Clarita's Living History" series debuts on SCVTV with "Placerita Gold" episode [watch]
Legacy
The Pioneer Oil Refinery off of Pine Street in Newhall was built in 1877 by California Star Oil works, forming the foundation for the West Coast oil industry. Benzene and kerosene were the main products made in the refinery and were later sold locally in Ventura and Santa Barbara.
Pioneer Oil Refinery Park Opens to the Public in Newhall
Old Town Newhall will host a "Sip into Summer" Bar Crawl, 8 p.m. Saturday, June 21 on Main Street.
June 21: Sip into Summer Bar Crawl On Main Street
I wanted to share a quick legislative update from Sacramento. We recently reached the deadline to send bills from the Senate to the Assembly in order to continue moving them through the legislative process this session.
Suzette Martinez Valladares | Report from the State Senate
The city of Santa Clarita is seeking Youth Basketball Coaches for the 2025 summer season.
Santa Clarita Volunteer Youth Basketball Coaches Needed
Love the outdoors? Passionate about community programs? The city of Santa Clarita is hiring part-time Recreation Leaders to help bring events, camps and nature programs to life at William S. Hart Park.
Santa Clarita Hiring for Positions at Hart Park
Harley-Davidson Santa Clarita will host a performance suspension workshop, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, June 28 with a Q and A with experts from OHLINS Factory.
June 28: Harley-Davidson Santa Clarita Suspension Workshop
California Institute of the Arts was recently named in The Hollywood Reporter’s inaugural Top Animation Schools list for 2025.
CalArts Named One of ‘The Hollywood Reporter’s’ Top Animation Schools for 2025
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SCVNews.com