Newly identified protein pathway helps HIV stay hidden despite treatment
Researchers at the University of North Carolina have identified a protein pathway involving ENL, USP7, and BRD4 that helps HIV remain dormant in immune cells. Disrupting this pathway could potentially reactivate latent HIV, offering a new strategy for developing a cure.
Why it matters
Current HIV treatments cannot eliminate the virus because it hides in dormant reservoirs; this discovery provides a specific target for future therapies to flush out and eliminate the virus.
by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine
edited by Swati Mestri , reviewed by Robert Egan
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
Add to Preferred Sources Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Current HIV medicines are effective at suppressing the virus in the blood. However, HIV can remain "asleep" or dormant inside certain immune cells and in the brain. These hidden pockets of virus, called HIV reservoirs, are the main reason HIV cannot be cured with today's treatments.
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