It is possible to detect HIV-infected T cells that are

AIDS patients will have to live with the rest of their lives with drugs because HIV can hide in the immune system and react more aggressively if they stop taking it. The hope to cure this century disease was lit when French scientists recently discovered a biological sign that allowed the recognition of HIV-infected T cells in the dormant state of the population. Healthy cells. This could pave the way for drugs to attack these "reserve cells," thereby eradicating the HIV virus completely and completely curing the patient.

Currently ARV therapy - taking antiretroviral drugs , can kill a large number of viruses, helping patients to have better health. However, a small amount of virus cells remain in the range of more than one million healthy T-cells. Once the medication is stopped, the virus will quickly multiply and the patient will never be cured.

ARV therapy can only kill active HIV-infected T cells.

When studying HIV-infected cells in the laboratory, a team of researchers from Montpellier University discovered a biological marker, namely a protein called CD32a, which is not found in healthy cells. . They then studied blood samples from 12 HIV patients treated with antiretroviral therapy and conducted isolation of cells containing biological markers. By using an antibody linked to CD32a, the team successfully separated the protein-containing cells from the blood sample and, as expected, all were infected with HIV.

This study shows that almost all T cells detected with CD32a protein are HIV "reserve cells" . In contrast, normal T-cells or active HIV-infected T cells do not show this biological trace. ARV therapy can only kill active HIV-infected T cells.

But unfortunately, CD32a does not show on all potentially HIV-containing T cells, so drugs that attack CD32a cells will not target HIV to eventually cure completely. patient. However, this is still a major finding because for the first time researchers can identify potentially infected cells after many failed attempts since 1996. The technique can be used to enhance therapies for finding, separating and destroying virus-containing cells are active when used in combination with antiretroviral drugs.

In the near future, the team will conduct similar tests on a group of more patients and test on tissues that are the favorite "prey" of HIV, such as the stomach or lymph nodes.