HIV-1 functional cure: will the dream come true?

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Immunology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reservoir, a persistent pool of infected cells, prevents a cure for acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).
• Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) suppresses HIV-1 but cannot eliminate the latent viral reservoir, necessitating lifelong treatment.
• Notable cases like the 'Berlin patient' have spurred research into functional cures for HIV-1.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize mechanisms of HIV-1 latency.
• To categorize viral reservoirs into 'shallow' and 'deep' types.
• To review current strategies for a functional HIV-1 cure.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent studies on HIV-1 latency mechanisms.
• Categorization of viral reservoirs.
• Analysis of therapeutic strategies for HIV-1 cure.

Main Results:

• HIV-1 latency is a complex mechanism involving long-lived infected cells.
• Viral reservoirs are classified as 'shallow' and 'deep'.
• Current strategies include immune system replacement, 'shock and kill', and 'permanent silencing'.

Conclusions:

• Eradicating the latent HIV-1 reservoir and restoring immune surveillance are critical challenges for an AIDS cure.
• Advances in understanding latency and developing novel therapeutic approaches offer hope for a functional HIV-1 cure.