Chennai, July 24 -- Highlights:
* Scientists used a natural RNA to suppress HIV's reactivation
* It acts like a brake mechanism to stop viral activity
* Could lead to a permanent treatment strategy in the //future
A promising study published in Science Advances suggests that a natural RNA (a genetic messenger that helps cells read and use DNA instructions) molecule made by HIV itself could help keep the virus in a deeply dormant state, even in patients who are already on antiretroviral therapy (ART) . This could mark a major step forward in the search for a functional cure as it doesn't just suppress the virus, but keeps it permanently asleep. The study was conducted by scientists at Johns Hopkins University , who focused on a natural RNA molecule found in the HIV-1 virus itself ( ref1 ).
The Numbers:
Researchers found that artificially increasing the levels of a molecule called AST (antisense transcript), an antisense RNA naturally produced by HIV, stopped the virus from waking up in immune cells collected from people living with HIV . The team showed that AST prevented the virus from becoming active even when exposed to stimuli that normally trigger reactivation. AST achieves this by silencing the HIV genome , preventing it from producing new viral particles.
Laboratory tests revealed that when CD4+ T cells (a type of immune cell that helps fight infections) from ART-suppressed individuals were treated with external AST, there was a significant drop in HIV transcription. This means that the virus remained dormant, even under experimental attempts to force it out of hiding.
How Does HIV Stay Hidden?
HIV is tricky. Even under lifelong medication, it hides in immune cells, forming what scientists call "latent reservoirs." These hidden viruses can reignite infection if treatment is stopped. Most current strategies try to flush out these hidden copies and then kill them, but this approach has had limited success.
Instead of waking the virus, this study changes everything. What if we could keep HIV locked away forever?
That's where AST comes in. AST is a natural antisense transcript, a special kind of RNA produced by the virus from the opposite direction of its regular genes. Think of it like HIV's own "brake" mechanism Researchers discovered that AST plays a crucial role in silencing HIV's ability to replicate. It recruits special proteins that tightly package the virus's genetic material, preventing it from being read or copied.
Reinforcing HIV's Silence
The study explored what would happen if scientists introduced more of this natural silencer into immune cells. By using a delivery system similar to a gene therapy vector, the team boosted AST levels in lab-grown immune cells from people with HIV . The results were striking. Even when the cells were treated with known latency-reversing agents (substances designed to reactivate dormant HIV), the virus remained silent.
The researchers also identified which segments of AST were responsible for binding to the virus's own control region, stopping it from turning on. Deleting or mutating these regions erased AST's silencing power, proving its action was both specific and essential.
This approach could potentially be developed into a new therapeutic tool. By increasing the concentration of AST in the nucleus of immune cells, the body may naturally reinforce the dormancy of HIV.
Why This Matters Now
Despite huge strides in HIV care, there is still no cure. Antiretroviral drugs have turned HIV from a death sentence into a manageable condition , but they must be taken daily for life. The moment treatment stops, the virus can come back.
Strategies to permanently silence HIV have remained elusive. Until now.
This study stands out because it leverages a viral element that already exists inside HIV's own genetic code. Instead of targeting the virus with external drugs or immune attacks, researchers are using the virus's own biology against itself. It's potentially game-changing.
A New Roadmap for Remission
What makes this discovery even more compelling is its long-term vision. Researchers believe that a future therapy based on AST could work alongside ART or even one day reduce the need for daily treatment. It could create a situation where HIV remains dormant indefinitely, unable to rebound.
While more testing is needed, this RNA-based strategy offers a novel pathway that avoids some of the setbacks faced by previous methods.
Millions still live in fear of a viral rebound. But science is catching up. Let's continue to support the journey toward a future where HIV remains silent. Reference:
* Suppression of HIV-1 transcription and latency reversal via ectopic expression of the viral antisense transcript AST - (https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adu8014)
Source-Medindia