Throughout H&V, we
have touched on the prospect of gene editing serving as a potential therapeutic
for viral disease. From DNA viruses, like herpesviruses, that remain latent in
the host to viruses, like retroviruses, that integrate into the host genome, gene
editing represents a powerful intervention in stopping these infections. The
Associated Press reports in this article that there may be a way to utilize
this method to treat HIV infection and stop its progression to AIDS. In the
case of Matt Chappell, there were few medications that could keep his HIV
infection in check, but the procedures of completely replacing his immune
system with a HIV-resistant donor’s were far too risky. Thus, researchers took
some of his white blood cells and edited them to be resistant to HIV infection.
After growing them up and ensuring the proper genes had been edited, they
injected Chappell with them months later. This led to a vast improvement in his
health, and after subsequent treatment, he was able to stop taking his
anti-retroviral drugs.
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However, this may not be
the panacea needed to fully eliminate HIV from the body. Chappell’s immune
system was still dominated by cells that were susceptible to infection, meaning
that his health could potentially decline in the future should the edited cells
become too outnumbered. To enhance this treatment, scientists at the University
of Pennsylvania are not only editing T-cells to make them impervious to HIV
entry, they are also supplementing them with antigen-recognition capabilities
against the virus. James Riley, the project lead, is optimistic that this therapy
provides personalized treatment of the disease with the patient’s own immune
cells. Furthermore, the increase in quality of life without the side-effects of
ART is marked, leading Riley to remark that “you’d never know they were sick…
at some point you’re going to have confidence that it’s not going to come back”
-Andrew
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