UC Davis scientists make headway in HIV fight

Millions of people diagnosed as HIV positive across the world are put on anti-retroviral drugs when their viral load – the measure of how much virus is in the bloodstream – reaches a certain level.

These reservoirs are invisible to the immune system and to HAART.

The UC Davis team discovered that a compound in a drug called Picato is effective at waking up and flush HIV out of its hiding place so that the body’s own immune system or antiretroviral drugs can destroy the last remnants of the disease.

“We are excited to have identified an outstanding candidate for HIV reactivation and eradication that is already approved and is being used in patients”, lead author Satya Dandekar from the University of California Davis said in a statement. He also adds, “This molecule has great potential to advance into translational and clinical studies”. A few of these are disease-causing agents, lurking in waiting for an opportunity to attack.

Researchers said, as soon as an infected individual stops treatment on the anti-virus, the virus comes back even if it’s already undetectable. And having to take the treatment indefinitely poses a risk for long-term toxicity.

We’ve made great progress, but at the end of the day you still have 30 million people walking around with HIV.

Researchers discovered that the lively ingredient within the most cancers drug PICATO, referred to as PEP005, reactivated HIV cells in affected person blood samples. What’s more, it has only minor side effects and low toxicity, as said by Mail Online.

A cancer drug was used, which revealed hidden HIV in the body.

The report said PEP005 is highly potent in reactivating a signaling pathway involving a cellular molecule called NF-KB, complex of proteins that bind to HIV’s genome and subsequently drive replication on latent virus, and the chemical represents “a new group of lead compounds for combating HIV”. PEP005 when combined with JQ1 increased HIV activation up to 15-fold.

While these results are promising, researchers are mindful that “shock” only works when it’s followed by ‘kill.’.

According to a report published on the PLoS Pathogens website Thursday, the PEP005 drug, known for its cancer prevention properties in the treatment of sun-damaged skin, was recently discovered as being highly potent in reactivating latent HIV, making it leave the reservoirs.

“First, we need to identify the best combination of latency-activating agents”, said Dandekar. “Then we should assist sufferers clear these reactivated cells”.

Scientists however expressed excitement and optimism at the discovery with Prof Sharon Lewin, from the University of Melbourne saying it marked an “important advance in finding new compounds that can activate latent HIV”.

Dr Dandekar notes that many HIV patients receiving HAART regimens have robust immune responses, which will go a long way towards clearing the virus.