Âé¶¹´«Ã½

Running amok

By Andy Coghlan

7 October 2000

ROGUE white blood cells infected with viruses can cause a range of serious
diseases, claim US scientists.

These renegade macrophages may figure in AIDS, cancer, dementia and even
heart disease, say researchers from SLIL Biomedical in Madison, Wisconsin. They
will present their evidence at a conference in London later this month.

Some immunologists say the theory is plausible. However, experts contacted by
Âé¶¹´«Ã½ said that they would reserve judgement until the results
appear in the scientific literature.

Macrophages are the immune system’s infantry, killing invaders by engulfing
them. Steve McGrath and Brian Herndier, who helped to found SLIL, think…

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