HIV RNA Expression Inhibitors as a Therapy to Restore Immune Function in HIV-Infected Persons

Use of HIV RNA expression inhibitors as additive therapy might reduce atypical inflammation and restore immune function in HIV-infected individuals on combination anti retroviral therapy (cART).

Using HIV RNA expression inhibitors as an additive therapy might reduce atypical inflammation and restore immune function in HIV-infected individuals on combination anti retroviral therapy (cART), reveals a team of researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM).//

Immune activation and inflammation persist in the majority of treated HIV-infected individuals and is associated with excess risk of mortality and morbidity.

HIV Infected People Twice Likely at Risk for Heart Disease
Heart disease risk may double if a person has HIV infections. Scientists think the virus may cause inflammation of blood vessels, which place an extra burden on the cardiovascular system.

‘HIV infected individuals have increased risk of developing non-AIDS complications. Use of HIV RNA expression inhibitors might reduce atypical inflammation and restore immune function in HIV-infected individuals on combination anti retroviral therapy (cART)’

HIV-1-infected individuals have excess risk of developing non-AIDS complications such as cardiovascular atherosclerosis, neurocognitive dysfunctions, non-AIDS cancers, osteoporosis, and renal disorders.

Systemic chronic immune activation has been postulated to lead to these non-AIDS complications.Despite long-term viral suppression by cART, it has remained unclear how chronic inflammation is induced in HIV-infected individuals.

In this study, BUSM researchers identified a mechanism of HIV-1-induced chronic immune activation and T cell dysfunction.

New Therapy For All HIV Infected People: Nadda
A new Test and Treat Policy called Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) is given for those who are tested HIV positive.

In studies performed with primary human macrophages and T cells, they found that persistent infection of macrophages with HIV-1 and expression of intron-containing HIV-1 RNA alone even in the absence of infectious virus production lead to induction of type I interferon (IFN-I)-dependent pro-inflammatory responses and immune exhaustion of co-cultured T cells.

They believe that these findings might provide an explanation for the observed chronic inflammation-associated morbidities in HIV-infected individuals who are on cART.

Prior Screening of HIV, Syphilis can Reduce New HIV Cases in India by 7 Percent
HIV with syphilis among gay men and sex workers can be lowered by combining testing and treatment in India to reduce a new number of HIV cases by seven percent and potentially prevent 50,000 new infections.

"We hope our study will broaden knowledge of host-HIV interactions and might help to reduce inflammation-associa.ted disorders caused by chronic viral infections," said Rahm Gummuluru, PhD, corresponding author and associate professor of microbiology.

These findings appear online in the journal Nature Communications.

Free Bus Passes for HIV Infected People
Collectors of Madurai and Dindigul districts handed over free bus passes to HIV infected people who are receiving free anti-retroviral therapy (ART).

Source-Eurekalert