Their approach promises a permanent cure and potential for protection against HIV
The HIV-1 virus has proved to be tenacious, inserting its genome permanently into its victims’ DNA, forcing patients to take a lifelong drug regimen to control the virus and prevent a fresh attack. Now, a team of Temple University School of Medicine researchers has designed a way to snip out the integrated HIV-1 genes for good.
“This is one important step on the path toward a permanent cure for AIDS,” says Kamel Khalili, PhD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Neuroscience at Temple. Khalili and his colleague, Wenhui Hu, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Neuroscience at Temple, led the work which marks the first successful attempt to eliminate latent HIV-1 virus from human cells. “It’s an exciting discovery, but it’s not yet ready to go into the clinic. It’s a proof of concept that we’re moving in the right direction,” added Dr. Khalili, who is also Director of the Center for Neurovirology and Director of the Comprehensive NeuroAIDS Center at Temple.
In a study published July 21 by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Khalili and colleagues detail how they created molecular tools to delete the HIV-1 proviral DNA. When deployed, a combination of a DNA-snipping enzyme called a nuclease and a targeting strand of RNA called a guide RNA (gRNA) hunt down the viral genome and excise the HIV-1 DNA. From there, the cell’s gene repair machinery takes over, soldering the loose ends of the genome back together – resulting in virus-free cells.
“Since HIV-1 is never cleared by the immune system, removal of the virus is required in order to cure the disease,” says Khalili, whose research focuses on the neuropathogenesis of viral infections. The same technique could theoretically be used against a variety of viruses, he says.
The research shows that these molecular tools also hold promise as a therapeutic vaccine; cells armed with the nuclease-RNA combination proved impervious to HIV infection.
Worldwide, more than 33 million people have HIV, including more than 1 million in the United States. Every year, another 50,000 Americans contract the virus, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Read more . . .
The Latest on: HIV
[google_news title=”” keyword=”HIV” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: HIV
- DOH finds 3,410 new HIV cases in 1st quarteron May 17, 2024 at 10:10 pm
The Philippines posted 3,410 newly diagnosed HIV/AIDS cases in the first quarter of the year, with 82 reported deaths, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Friday. The DOH said data from the HIV and ...
- Manager spread news that woman had HIV, then fired her, feds say. Tractor Supply oweson May 17, 2024 at 3:26 pm
The company fired her after the Mississippi woman complained of harassment from co-workers, federal officials said.
- HIV-positive woman indicted for solicitation in Ohio; more than 200 urged to teston May 17, 2024 at 1:02 pm
On Tuesday, an Ohio grand jury indicted an HIV-positive woman who had sexual contact with more than 200 people in multiple states, officials said.
- Animal studies lend support to an innovative HIV vaccine strategy — but there’s still a long way to goon May 17, 2024 at 10:51 am
Studies in mice and monkeys showed that immune cells could be shepherded to produce antibodies that block a broad swath of HIV strains — a first step toward a potential vaccine.
- There’s New Hope for an HIV Vaccineon May 17, 2024 at 10:19 am
A trial vaccine has succeeded in generating low levels of antibodies needed to target HIV. It’s a first but much-needed step toward preventing infection.
- Trial HIV vaccine triggers elusive and essential antibodies, pointing the way toward a successful vaccineon May 17, 2024 at 8:00 am
An HIV vaccine candidate developed at the Duke Human Vaccine Institute triggered low levels of an elusive type of broadly neutralizing HIV antibodies among a small group of people enrolled in a 2019 ...
- UNIFIED HIV Services Gets a Power-Up With New Vivent Health Mergeron May 17, 2024 at 6:44 am
Southeast Michiganders have relied on UNIFIED HIV Health and Beyond for a wealth of resources, from pop-up, confidential testing ...
- Pelosi HIV money doesn't necessarily fix SF's federal funding shortfallon May 16, 2024 at 3:53 pm
Though Congressmember Nancy Pelosi announced $1.6 million in new federal funding for San Francisco from the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program to reduce infections, that doesn’t mean the city isn’t still ...
- 4 Critical Biometrics EVERY Black HIV Patient Should Knowon May 16, 2024 at 12:08 pm
If you’re managing your HIV/AIDS, here are four aspects/biometrics of your health you absolutely need to keep an eye ...
- What is PrEP? Will it stop me getting HIV?on May 16, 2024 at 9:42 am
HIV prevention was allocated A$43.9 million over three years in this week's federal budget. Some $26m of this is for "PrEP" for people without access to Medicare.
via Bing News