One of the main obstacles related to the cure for HIV infection is that this virus can remain for years associated with CD4 T-type lymphocytes, without leading to the appearance of any symptoms, being characterized by the latency period. The virus associated with this type of lymphocyte is undetectable by the cells of the immune system and, therefore, it is important that the person undergoes antiretroviral treatment throughout their lives, otherwise the virus may be activated again and lead to the appearance of symptoms..
As a result, researchers at the University of North Carolina and Emory University in the United States sought to understand the virus's latency mechanism and identify exactly the form and location in which HIV was inactivated. From this discovery, the cure for HIV infection became closer, as researchers now know where and how the virus remains latent, which allows new research to be carried out with the aim of treating the virus during this period.
What was discovered
The researchers found a way to remove the HIV virus from the latency period, allowing it to be identified in the tests performed periodically by people with the infection and to undergo antiretroviral treatment. To achieve this goal, they used a compound capable of activating CD4 T-type lymphocytes, which are the cells in which the virus remains associated during the latency period. This compound, AZD5582, from the moment it activates lymphocytes, allows the expression of the HIV virus in blood and other tissues.
The first stage of the research was carried out with mice that had the same type of lymphocyte with the virus as people. From the moment AZD5582 was used, there was an increase in the concentration of viral RNA in the blood, liver, lymph nodes, lung and brain of these animals. With that, the second stage of the research was initiated, which was done with monkeys that had cells infected by the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), in which they could observe the same result.
From the results observed in the two stages, the researchers were able to prove the induction of the change of the virus state from latent to active, being able to identify the "hiding place" of the HIV virus. In addition, through this discovery, it was possible to establish the hypothesis that the change from a latent to an active state would be sufficient to accelerate the reduction of the reservoir, with the eradication of the virus being faster.
Next steps
The discovery by American researchers allows new studies to be carried out with the objective of eliminating the HIV virus once and for all. This is because from the moment the virus is removed from its latency state, it becomes easier for new drugs to act more directly from the virus, which directly reflects on the time of antiretroviral treatment that must be done by the infected people.
So far the study has been carried out with mice and monkeys only, and has not yet been tested on humans. Therefore, the next stage of the project is to verify the effect of the compound AZD5582 in people and, thus, verify if there is the same effect in humans. For that, the researchers have already started to establish criteria and experiments so that research with people can happen safely, with the first studies foreseen for 2021.
