What is the significance of the Berlin 2 patient's HIV remission?

The Berlin 2 patient's six-year HIV remission, achieved with single-copy CCR5 resistance, suggests alternative pathways to cure HIV beyond requiring two copies of the resistance gene.

How does a stem cell transplant help achieve HIV remission?

Stem cell transplants replace a patient's immune system with donor cells that can identify and eliminate hidden HIV reservoirs, a process known as graft-versus-reservoir response.

Is the CCR5 stem cell procedure a viable cure for all HIV patients?

No, the intensive chemotherapy and full stem cell transplant are high-risk procedures not suitable for all HIV patients but inform future treatment strategies.

Home / Health / HIV Remission Achieved with Single-Copy Gene Mutation

HIV Remission Achieved with Single-Copy Gene Mutation

1 Dec

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Summary

A German patient has been in HIV remission for six years.
Stem cell transplant used donor cells with one resistance gene copy.
This suggests alternative paths to potentially curing HIV.

HIV Remission Achieved with Single-Copy Gene Mutation

A German patient, referred to as Berlin 2 (B2), has maintained an HIV-free remission for an impressive six years after undergoing a stem cell transplant to treat leukemia. This marks him as the seventh individual known to achieve such long-term remission. Unlike previous cases where stem cell donors possessed two copies of the CCR5 Δ32 mutation conferring HIV resistance, B2 received cells with only a single copy. This finding challenges established theories on the mechanisms of HIV clearance and opens new avenues for research.

HIV's resilience stems from its ability to attack immune cells, mutate rapidly, and hide within dormant reservoirs. Antiretroviral therapy can suppress the virus, but latent reservoirs remain untouched. Stem cell transplants, by eradicating the patient's existing immune system and rebuilding it with donor cells, have proven effective in depleting these reservoirs. The graft-versus-reservoir response is crucial, where new immune cells target and eliminate remaining HIV hideouts.