Gene discovery could lead to new types of HIV treatments

published on September 18, 2013 in Reuters

(Reuters) - Scientists have identified a gene which they say may have the ability to prevent HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, from spreading after it enters the body.

In an early-stage study in the journal Nature, researchers said the gene, called MX2, appears to play a key role in how HIV is controlled in human cells, so using it could lead to the development of new, less toxic treatments that harness the body's natural defenses and mobilize them against the virus.

Although there are many more years of research ahead, Mike Malim, who co-led the research at King's College London, described the finding as "extremely exciting" and said it advanced scientists' understanding of how the HIV virus interacts with the immune system.

"Until now we knew very little about the MX2 gene, but now we recognize both its potent anti-viral function and a key point of vulnerability in the life cycle of HIV," he said in a statement about the study, published on Wednesday.

Some 34 million people worldwide are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS - the vast majority of them in poor and developing countries.

But while, particularly in wealthy nations, there are many effective drugs available that allow HIV patients to live long, healthy lives, they often have side-effects and drug resistance can become a problem with long-term use.

Kate Kelland
Reuters
Read More

View the full article >>

BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS

Search form

Gene discovery could lead to new types of HIV treatments

Search form