Researchers are a step closer to finding a cure for HIV after discovering a way to force the virus out of hiding.
In a world-first, scientists at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in Melbourne have used mRNA technology to make HIV visible to the immune system.
Globally, about 40 million people live with HIV, and while antiretroviral therapy can suppress the virus to undetectable levels, it cannot eliminate it entirely.
A major barrier to a cure is HIV’s ability to conceal itself within white blood cells, lying dormant and ready to re-emerge if treatment stops.
However, researchers have now found a way to expose the hidden virus, paving the way to eventually eliminate it from the body.
“As HIV cure researchers, our goal has been to reach the virus where it hides. We programmed mRNA to tell infected cells to ‘give up’ the virus and make it visible. But getting the mRNA into those cells was the challenge,” said research fellow at the Doherty Institute, Dr Paula Cevaal.
In a laboratory-based study, the researchers packaged mRNA inside microscopic fat-like bubbles, and transported it into HIV-infected cells, where it prompted the cells to expose the dormant virus.
“This is the first time this strategy has been shown to work so well in HIV-infected cells. Our hope is that this new nanoparticle design could be a new pathway to an HIV cure,” Cevaal said.
The next step is preparing for preclinical testing in animal models, with the long-term goal of progressing to human trials.
HIV may not be the only disease to benefit from the approach. Doherty Institute virologist Dr Michael Roche said the breakthrough could also apply to other conditions.
“This discovery could have broader implications beyond HIV,” Roche said.
“The white blood cells where HIV hides are also involved in other diseases, including some cancers and autoimmune conditions. The ability to safely deliver mRNA into these cells opens new possibilities for treating a range of illnesses.”
NSW is already on track to eliminate new HIV infections, with a study published in The Lancet last month reporting a 56 per cent drop in new cases among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.
However, the decline varies significantly by geography. Inner-Sydney postcodes with higher concentrations of gay residents saw an 88 per cent drop, compared to just 32 per cent in areas with fewer gay residents.
This disparity is largely driven by the uptake of PrEP, with more than 18,000 individuals accessing it last year. But, as noted in the government’s HIV strategy report, challenges remain – particularly among culturally diverse communities.
Gay Sydney News reporter