Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
Beijing, December 3 (Xinhua) — A research team from Wuhan University of Science and Technology (WUST) recently developed a new system for targeted delivery of gene editing tools to cells. According to the study, these tools can precisely locate the HIV virus and fragment its genome, thereby achieving a functional cure, the China Science Daily reported on Tuesday.
Current HIV treatments include the widely used cocktail therapy, as well as newer approaches such as cell immunotherapy and gene therapy. Cocktail therapy aims to maximally suppress viral replication, improving quality of life and patient survival. However, it cannot completely eradicate the virus.
Cellular immunotherapy can only identify and eliminate cells where the virus is actively replicating, leaving dormant infected cells unaffected. Existing gene therapy methods, particularly those using adeno-associated viruses as delivery vectors, have several drawbacks, including poor targeting and toxicity due to excessive dosages.
The results of the WUST study, led by Gu Chaojiang, were published in the journal Molecular Therapy. The team's EMT-Cas12a method is based on the use of modified exosomes for targeted delivery of the CRISPR-Cas12a gene editing tool.
Exosomes are tiny vesicles secreted by cells that carry biological information, such as proteins and RNA, and act as messengers between cells. Cas12a, often called "gene scissors," is a gene-editing tool capable of precisely fragmenting DNA.
The new therapy uses exosomes to deliver Cas12a into cells to precisely target the HIV virus, including latent HIV, and fragment its genome, achieving a functional cure for AIDS. It offers advantages such as high targeting capability, a high level of safety, and the ability to perform multiple fragments together.
In experiments on HIV-infected mice and blood samples taken from AIDS patients, the therapy demonstrated powerful viral clearance and immune reconstitution capabilities. In one experimental group, complete viral clearance was achieved in two out of three mice.
The therapy has passed medical ethics review and has moved into clinical trials, the researchers said. -0-
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.