HIV removed using new gene technique CRISPR !

Major Breakthrough

A significant milestone was achieved today in the fight against HIV—scientists led by Kamel Khalili of the Comprehensive NeuroAIDS Center at Temple University just reported that, for the first time, HIV genes have been successfully eliminated from the genomes of animals infected with the virus.

The study, published in the journal Gene Therapy, was conducted on mice and rats.

The team engineered the animals to incorporate the HIV genes in every cell in their body. Using the new gene technique called CRISPR, they created a pair of molecular scissors, which they then used to remove the viral genes that infected the brain, heart, liver, kidney, lungs, spleen, and even blood.

According to Khalili’s experiments, the method was successful in snipping out the virus in over 50% of the cells of each type. meaning that we still have some way to go, but the initial results are promising.

 A new HORIZON !

Khalili has removed the virus  from cells taken from HIV positive people, but the success of using the same technique on live animals is a significant step forward towards developing this method as a possible treatment (or cure) for HIV and AIDS patients.

“If this technology gets into the clinic to treat human patients, it’s not going to be very complicated. You don’t have to bring the patient to the clinic and do a bone marrow transplant or all kinds of complicated technology. You can basically apply this to any setting,”he says.
The team is currently studying the ideal dosage and monitoring for possible side effects; but given that the CRISPR molecule specifically targets HIV genes, they believe that any adverse effect will be unlikely.
“The first step is to permanently inactivate those viruses incorporated in cells,” says Khalili. “If we can do that, and reach that level, then we may be able to functionally cure individuals or have a sterilizing cure.” It will be a long road, but things are looking rather bright.