Scientists Discover Gene Therapy Option to Suppress HIV

Scientists have discovered a gene therapy technique that may prove useful in the fight against HIV. This latest study was based on  information discovered ten years ago. Scientists stumbled upon the fact that people who had a genetic code mutation that slowed or prevented the body from producing a protein known as CCR5 had a higher resistance to HIV. CCR5 acts with HIV to invade a person’s cells, allowing the HIV to take root in the body.

Researchers led by Paula Cannon of the University of Southern California used this information to form an experiment. Scientists used undeveloped haematopoietic cells from mice. These cells create immune and red blood cells within the body. They then used a scientific process to remove the CCR5 gene from the cells. The cells lacking the CCR5 gene were injected back into the mice along with an HIV infection.

Twelve weeks following the initial infection, the mice with the mutated cells had minimal levels of  HIV in their system. Their immune T-cells had also recovered from the HIV invasion. The mice with the CCR5 protein present, were sick and weak with the HIV. The hope is to use this same process in humans. If effective, people would not need to take antiretroviral drugs to suppress the HIV that has infected their body. Currently, there are several drugs on the market that slow down the CCR5 protein and are often prescribed to those with weakened immune systems because of HIV.

The study has been published in the Nature Biotechnology journal.