2023-08-02 20:24:13
A natural defense gene against HIV, which limits its replication in certain white blood cells in people of African descent, has been identified by an international team including researchers associated with the National Microbiology Laboratory of Canada.
This is the first new genetic variant discovered in nearly 30 years of HIV research. This is a major breakthrough for our understanding of the virus which could lead to new strategies for the prevention and treatment of HIV infection, says a press release published by the Canadian laboratory.
Swiss and British teams from the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and Imperial College London in London also took part in the work, details of which are published in the journal Nature (New window) (in English).
It was by trying to find genetic variations associated with the spontaneous control of HIV in a cohort of 4,000 participants living with HIV and of African descent that the researchers managed to identify this gene.
In concrete terms, this work has made it possible to identify, within the CHD1L gene, a genetic variation specific to populations of African descent linked to the spontaneous control of HIV-1, the most common and virulent type.
This variant limits HIV viral replication, a finding that may explain why some people of African descent naturally have a lower viral load, thereby slowing the replication and transmission of the virus.
This means that the virus cannot replicate as quickly or efficiently in people who carry certain particular genetic variants compared to those who do not, the researchers note.
Further work now needs to be done to understand exactly how this gene limits viral replication.
Landmarks
While several breakthroughs in drugs and access to antiretroviral therapies have been made in recent years, HIV remains a global health problem. Nearly 40 million people live with the virus worldwide. No less than 63,000 Canadians were living with HIV at the end of 2020, and an estimated 6,500 more are thought to be living with the virus without knowing it. People of African descent are disproportionately affected by HIV infection.
The immune response under attack
The Vwould go from theIimmunodeficiency Humaine attacks the body’s immune cells, decreasing their ability to mount an immune response. Without treatment, the infected person becomes more vulnerable to opportunistic infections and certain cancers, which characterizes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, a disease known as AIDS.
The annual number of HIV infections is decreasing thanks to the generalization of therapies, but the favorable trend has slowed considerably since 2005. Worse, the number of newly infected adults is increasing in certain regions of the world.
A hope named CHD1L
The discovery of the role of CHD1L in limiting HIV replication would ultimately improve the treatment of people living with the virus.
Our results provide indications on potential therapeutic targets, which are necessary to pursue the fight against HIV-1, adds Jacques Fellay, who recalls that it is important to carry out genomic studies in various ancestral populations to meet their medical needs. specific and global health inequalities.
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