A research team from Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) has made significant strides in understanding how stem cell transplants can potentially cure HIV, moving closer to a universal remedy for AIDS, which currently affects around 38 million people worldwide. The study reported that two non-human primates were cured of a version of HIV after receiving stem cell transplants. For a successful cure, two conditions are essential: the donor stem cells must attack the HIV-infected cells and prevent the virus from infecting new cells.
Published in the journal Immunity, the study builds on previous cases where individuals have been cured of HIV through similar methods. Researchers conducted experiments on Mauritian cynomolgus macaques, observing that the transplants eliminated detectable HIV in a series of steps, starting from the blood to lymph nodes. The findings emphasize the importance of understanding the immune response involved in eliminating HIV, which may guide future clinical applications and improvements in treatment strategies.
The study’s lead researcher, Dr. Jonah Sacha, envisions a single injection as a potential future treatment instead of traditional stem cell transplants. Further investigations will focus on the immune responses in the cured primates to identify targeted immune cells and molecules.
