Create an antibody against latent AIDS viruses

2015/10/22 Etxebeste Aduriz, Egoitz - Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Osasuna
• Medikuntza

American researchers have presented in the journal Nature Communications a new way to eliminate cells infected with latent AIDS viruses.

Treating AIDS with antiretroviral drugs is a lifelong therapy, largely because in some cells latent viruses are hidden. These viruses are invisible to the immune system and antiretroviral. Therefore, the elimination of these virus deposits would be an important step in the total recovery of AIDS.

The antibody they have created now activates these latent viruses, while leading to T cells of the immune system to their removal. The new antibody causes cells infected with latent viruses to produce HIV proteins that make them detectable for immune cells.

They have carried out experiments with cells extracted for patients with AIDS and have shown in monkeys that it is a safe treatment, so the next step would be to try in clinical sessions.