Making cells can kill the HIV virus

Scientists at the University of California (USA) have created genetically modified stem cells that can detect and kill the HIV virus in a living organism.

Dr. Scott G. Kitchen and colleagues at the David Geffen School of Medicine - University of California have for the first time created immune cells from human stem cells. Immune cells have been created to effectively detect and destroy the HIV virus in human tissues grown in animals.

HIV virus is observed under a microscope

'We believe this research will lay the foundation for the use of a similar method to fight HIV / AIDS and hope to completely eliminate this dangerous virus from the human body.' , Dr. Scott G. Kitchen, head of research, said in Science Daily.

In previous studies, scientists took T CD8 - white blood cells specialized in searching and destroying infected cells in the body - from HIV-infected patients and using them to hunt and destroy HIV-infected cells. However, the number of available CD8 T cells is not sufficient to kill all HIV viruses in the body.

Therefore, scientists have created CD8 T cells by genetically modifying human blood stem cells. Then, they are inserted into human breast tissue before being implanted into mice.

Results showed that CD8 T cells developed very well and could detect cells containing HIV proteins.

In the study of David Geffen School of Medicine, scientists also created immune cells from blood stem cells in the same way. Later, the team tested these cells on HIV-infected human tissue transplanted on mice. After 2-6 weeks of transgenic stem cell transplantation, CD4 T cells - white blood cells play an important role in the immune system - significantly increasing, while the HIV virus in the blood decreases.

'We believe this is the first step in developing a more effective way to treat human HIV disease , ' said Dr. Scott G. Kitchen.