Temple Researchers 'Delete' HIV Virus from Human DNA
April 8, 2015| |
Temple University researchers successfully deleted the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) genes from human DNA for the first time. The researchers used a DNA-snipping enzyme called Cas9 to cut out the HIV-1 genes. After the deletion, the cell's gene repair mechanism takes place, repairing the loose ends of the genome back together, leading to a virus-free cell. The process used by the researchers in this study may also be utilized to treat other infections.
According to Dr. Kamel Khalili, one of the authors of the study, the discovery is not yet ready to go into the clinic. "We are working on a number of strategies so we can take the construct into preclinical studies…We want to eradicate every single copy of HIV-1 from the patient. That will cure AIDS. I think this technology is the way we can do it," Dr. Khalili said.
Read more about the study at Temple University News Center.
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