Researchers have found an antibody that can effectively suppress 96% of HIV strains. This can be an important step towards treating the disease.
As you know, it is very difficult for immune cells - B-lymphocytes - to fight HIV. Because of the constant changes in the structure of the viral envelope, B cells rarely manage to create an antibody molecule that can effectively mark HIV. This, in turn, does not enable the body to effectively resist the latter. The problem is also the huge number of subspecies of the human immunodeficiency virus. So it is very difficult to create a universal method of dealing with it.
However, an international team of scientists led by American molecular biologist Mark Connors has now identified the N6 antibody, which opens up new perspectives in the fight against HIV. This antibody "knows" the weak point in the protein coat of the human immunodeficiency virus and is capable of effectively suppressing approximately 96% of HIV strains.
The antibody was found in the blood of a patient with the code Z258. Previously, scientists drew attention to the fact that his body copes extremely well with the virus. The man had been living with HIV for 21 years, but his immune system was functioning normally despite the long absence of antiretroviral therapy.
Scientists say N6 bears similarities to the previously identified VRC01 antibody, which is capable of suppressing 90% of HIV strains. However, N6 is much more resistant to virus mutations. Note that VRC01 is currently undergoing clinical trials and the authors of the discovery propose to add a new antibody to them.
Antibody N6, neutralizing "invulnerable" types of HIV
Huang et al./Immunity 2016
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The researchers believe that in the future it will be possible to improve the performance of N6 by introducing new mutations. This will prolong the lives of people living with HIV, as well as significantly protect people who do not have this virus.
Earlier, we recall, it was reported about the catastrophic consequences of the HIV epidemic for one of the largest Russian cities - Yekaterinburg. In a number of districts of the city, every 50th inhabitant is the carrier of the virus: and this is only from the officially registered ones. In general, the number of HIV-infected Russians now exceeds one million.
Ilya Vedmedenko
