Byte-Sized Research: A Cure To HIV

Even with the prevalence of curable diseases, HIV remains among the ones near impossible to fully cure. Successful cures (6 out of 88 million, or a surprising 0.0000068%) are limited to allogenic stem cell transplants, a process when a patient receives healthy blood-making stem cells. Recent research has found that CCR5-independent mechanisms can help cure HIV. 

CCR5-independent mechanisms are processes and pathways that don’t rely on the CCR5 protein. This protein helps the cell regulate the immune system and inflammatory responses. However, it is also used by HIV to enter cells. This is why genetic mutations in the making of the protein creates resistance to the disease. So, when cell processes don’t use the CCR5 protein, HIV progression can be stopped or slowed. 

Researchers (Gaebler et. al) found evidence for this hypothesis. For instance, a patient has been able to have sustained HIV remission (signs and symptoms disappear) after receiving a stem cell transplant from a person with genes that results in a less functional CCR5 gene. Remission also could have been sustained because of the patient’s naturally strong immune system. 

I look forward to next week’s Byte-Sized Research!