Scientists of National Institutes of Health (USA) identified mechanisms that help some people control HIV infection without the help of antiretroviral drugs. The results explaining the rare vulnerability to the virus are described in the article published in the SCIENCE TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE journal.
Investment participated 58 elite controllers – people whose immune system independently restrains the reproduction of the virus. They were compared with 42 patients with HIV, which receive antiretroviral therapy. It turned out that one of the features of controllers is in a powerful immune response. In addition, viral genetic sequences (sunswered), built into the people’s genome, were isolated in remote areas of chromosomes, where they are less likely to participate in replication.
also found out that the provisions from the controllers had fewer mutations than people in need of antiretroviral therapy. Mutations are often developing to help the virus avoid T-cell recognition. The results suggest that effective HIV treatment can be developed for patients who cannot get rid of the replicating virus independently.