Discovery of HIV ‘invisibility cloak’ reveals new treatment opportunities
Their study shows how ‘uncloaking’ the virus using an experimental drug triggers an immune response that stops the virus from replicating in cells grown in the laboratory. The findings could lead to new treatments and help to improve existing therapies for HIV infection. The innate immune system is the body’s first line of defence against infection and incorporates an alarm system present in all cells of the body that detects the presence of ‘foreign’ material from invading bacteria and viruses. When the alarm is tripped, the infected cell begins an anti-viral programme and sends out warning signals to alert other cells that a virus is around. …