After scientists have demonstrated they can eliminate the virus from infected cells and prevent the disease to ever return, a cure for AIDS and HIV could be just a few years away.
The HIV virus leaves patients highly vulnerable to other infection by attacking and killing immune cells. But scientists in the United States have proved it is possible to erase the virus from the DNA of cells by using state-of-the-art genetic editing technology.
According to the publication Telegraph citing Professor Matthew Cobb from the Manchester University, the genetic editing technology enables scientists to change the genes and engineer effectively "the body to cure itself from the inside." So far, the experiments have only been carried out in a lab, but within three years will start the first trials on humans, according to researchers at Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University.
Previously, before this latest research, scientists were worried that altering DNA could trigger a cascade of genetic breaks that are harmful to humans. However, the genetic modified human immune cells tested in the lab showed no change to any other parts of their genetic code.
The new study has been published in the Nature journal, Scientific Reports. Several charities declared that the breakthrough was "very exciting."
Lead researcher Professor Kamel Khalili said that in the laboratory environment scientists have been able for the first time to completely eliminate segments of the viral genome. This achievement demonstrates that would be also possible to eliminate the viral genome in the human body.
Professor Khalili explained that the findings of the new study are important on multiple levels and that the research has huge potential. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of the gene editing system in eliminating HIV and show that the immune system can protect cells from reinfection.
Since the new technology has no toxic effects and is safe for the cells, it might already start clinical trials within three years. The new technique is called Crispr/Cas9 and involves selecting a protein called Cas9 and modifying it so it can recognize the viral code of HIV.
