How scientists can eliminate HIV from cells through CRISPR tech

Scientists can eliminate HIV infection from cells using the powerful CRISPR technology (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats). This gene-editing technology, which won the Nobel prize in 2020, is used as genetic scissors at the molecular level (in the cell), cutting DNA at specific places to remove bits that are bad or inactivated.

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. If it is not treated, it can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). There is currently no effective cure for HIV/AIDS.

A team from the University of Amsterdam presented their early findings at a medical conference this week. They said that their work is at its preliminary stages and that there won’t be a cure for HIV any time soon.

Reacting to the study, Dr James Dixon, stem-cell and gene-therapy technologies associate professor at the University of Nottingham, said that much more research is still needed.

“Using CRISPR technology to snip out or deactivate the HIV genome is a well-discussed but promising strategy. However, the delivery of these systems remains a significant issue and much more work will be needed to demonstrate results in these cell assays can happen in an entire body for a future therapy,” Dr James Dixon told Science Media Centre.

Virus expert Dr Jonathan Stoye said that it could be challenging to remove HIV from the body, which is present in many cells.

“The challenge of removing HIV genomes from all the cells that make up the long-lived viral reservoirs in such people is extremely challenging. In addition, off-target effects of the treatment, with possible long-term side effects, remain a concern. It therefore seems likely that many years will elapse before any such CRISPR-based therapy becomes routine even assuming that it can be shown to be effective,” Dr Stoye also told Science Media Centre. India Today