New discovery about leukemia virus and potential for HIV treatment

In tests, when the "inhibitor" segment of the HTLV-1 leukemia virus was removed or mutated, the virus became more active and more easily destroyed by the immune system.

Japanese scientists have discovered a special gene segment in the HTLV-1 virus that can make the virus "invisible" to the immune system for decades - and this mechanism can also be applied to the HIV virus.

A research team from Kumamoto University, led by Professor Yorifumi Satou, discovered a “virus suppression region” located in the HTLV-1 virus genome.

This gene segment "recruits" transcription factors of human cells, especially the RUNX1 complex, which helps to inhibit the activity of the virus, putting it into a dormant state. Thanks to that, the virus can evade detection by the immune system for a long time.

HTLV-1 is a rare but dangerous oncogenic retrovirus that can lead to adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) - an aggressive and difficult-to-treat form of cancer.

Although most people with the virus do not show symptoms, a small fraction can develop cancer or serious immune disorders after many years.

In testing, when the "inhibitor" segment of HTLV-1 was removed or mutated, the virus became more active and more easily destroyed by the immune system.

Notably, when scientists introduced this "inhibitor" fragment into the HIV virus, they found that HIV also "calmed down" significantly - replicating less, destroying less cells, and seemingly entering a latent state of sleep.

“For the first time, we have discovered an internal mechanism by which the human leukemia virus controls its own stealth,” said Professor Satou. “This is a sophisticated evolutionary strategy, and now that we understand it, we can take advantage of it to develop treatments.”

This discovery opens up new prospects not only in treating HTLV-1, which is circulating in areas such as southwestern Japan, but could also become the basis for developing strategies to control other dangerous retroviruses such as HIV./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/phat-hien-moi-ve-virus-bach-cau-va-tiem-nang-dieu-tri-hiv-post1053403.vnp