Scientists from the Scripps Research Institute have found that most people have immune cells in their bodies that can cope with HIV. An article with the results of the work was published in the journal Science.
It is known that some people infected with the human immunodeficiency virus can develop antibodies that can effectively neutralize many strains of the dangerous and rapidly mutating virus. To force the body of a healthy person to produce the necessary antibodies, it is necessary to immunize with the help of special proteins of the virus - immunogens (antigens).
The success of immunization depends on the ability of the immunogen to bind to special cells - B-lymphocytes, activating them and forcing them to produce antibodies. The research team found that most people have “germ” progenitor cells that can synthesize the VRC01 antibodies needed to fight HIV.
The task of the scientists was to develop an immunogen that could bind precisely to those B-lymphocytes that are potentially responsible for immunity against the immunodeficiency virus. For this, the immunogen must be very specific, since the required progenitor cells are very rare among all other B-lymphocytes.
Previously, immunologists synthesized an immunogen protein called EOD-GT8 60mer. In clinical studies in mice, animals vaccinated with the protein produced VRC01-class antibodies. If EOD-GT8 60mer is able to induce a similar response in humans, then several more immunogens will need to be developed that collectively will generate a wide range of antibodies that can fight HIV.
A few days ago in the journal Scientific Reports, an article appeared in which geneticists demonstrated the ability of CRISPR / Cas9 technology to remove HIV viral genes from infected T-lymphocytes, which the virus normally infects. The results of the work can help to develop new methods of therapy for AIDS patients.
