The autophagy process, a critical regulator of T-cell function, has been shown to control acute HIV-1 infection and play a crucial role also in HIV-1 disease pathogenesis.
Researchers from Viiv Healthcare Ltd. presented preclinical data for the next-generation maturation inhibitor (MI) VH-3739937 (VH-937, zegruvirimat), currently in clinical testing for the treatment of HIV.
For the treatment of HIV infection, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) are used to prevent viral replication by binding to a pocket near the polymerase active site of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase.
The use of latency reversing agents is useful for reducing the HIV reservoir, but their effect on infected cells isolated from untreated people with HIV is still unknown.
Retinoids are derivatives of vitamin A that target the retinoid receptors and induce antiproliferative effects and cell death. George Washington University has tested a series of different retinoids, including alitretinoin, tazarotene and AM-80, also known as tamibarotene, for their efficacy against HIV-infected CD4+ T cells regarding their ability to enhance the cytotoxic effect of NK cells.
Several presentations at the 31st Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2024) held in Denver from March 3 to 6, 2024, focused on childhood HIV and highlighted the lack of pediatric data. The epicenter of this pandemic in the youngest is in the southern region of the African continent. However, there are few studies for children with HIV, mostly for the northern hemisphere.
Overall, the story of HIV is one of astounding success. But to declare victory, it will be necessary to develop a vaccine. The opening session of the 31st Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) 2024 looked back to the failures but also the advances in research, all the steps that over the years brought the basic science knowledge that could bring an HIV vaccine in the future. This year, the former director of the Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory at the NIAID Vaccine Research Center, Barney Graham, was named for the Bernard Field Lecture, where he presented “Modern vaccinology: a legacy of HIV research.”
On March 4, 2024, several groups of scientists discussed the challenges of investigating the effects of HIV in the central nervous system (CNS) at the oral abstract session on neuropathogenesis of HIV held during the 31st Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), in Denver. A cure for HIV will require eliminating the virus in all its reservoirs, those tissues where HIV remains latent but retains the capacity for reactivation and replication. However, despite antiretroviral therapy (ART), the virus could continue to replicate continuously at a low level in some reservoirs, including the CNS.
Reithera Srl, The Ragon Institute of Mass General, MIT and Harvard, and IAVI have established a collaboration to develop a novel HIV vaccine candidate based on gorilla adenoviral vector (GRAd), with funding by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
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