Journal of AIDS & Clinical Research

Tackling HIV: Genetic vs. Immune CCR5 targeting

Abstract

Assunta Venuti and Lucia Lopalco

Recent advances in gene targeting have proposed new approaches to treat HIV infection, focused on CCR5, which is a key molecule in virus entry as well as in infection maintenance. Ex vivo cell targeting could make T-cells resistant to infection while reducing cell reservoirs where HIV can escape total eradication. Immunization could provide prompt receptor down regulation and preventive immunity also in limited resources settings. Innovative, gene-based methods and immune-based interventions aimed at silencing CCR5 expression in vivo will be compared.