Scientists Use CRISPR to Block HIV Replication Inside Living Cells

Scientists Use CRISPR to Block HIV Replication Inside Living Cells

Modern medicine has made incredible progress in the treatment of HIV. Years ago, infection with HIV would almost certainly lead to developing AIDS, but treatment can now keep the disease at bay. Even with daily antiretroviral therapy (ART), the pathogen continues to hide in a patient’s cells. Researchers from Japan’s Kobe University say they’ve successfully used the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing platform to block the replication of HIV in living cells.

Around 35 million people around the world are infected with HIV, but many of them keep their viral levels low with ART. Medications cannot currently root out all signs of HIV infection because of the way the virus reproduces. HIV is a retrovirus, meaning it’s an RNA-based virus when it infects cells. However, the first thing it does upon entering a cell is use an enzyme called reverse transcriptase to transform into DNA and hide in the cell’s genome. When the cell produces its own proteins, it also ends up making new viral particles.

Even if you eliminate all the circulating HIV in the body, there’s still the virus hiding inside cells. That’s why the Japanese team looked at CRISPR/Cas9. This technology is based on a bacterial antiviral system, but scientists have learned how to use it to precisely snip DNA in living cells. The team used CRISPR to alter HIV’s genome while it was still hiding inside cells, thus limiting its virulence.

The experiment targeted two of HIV’s nine genes that are key to the proliferation of the virus. The genes in question are known as tat and rev. Without those genes, HIV doesn’t work. Researchers used genetic information from six common HIV subtypes to build guide RNA (gRNA) that pointed the Cas9 protein at the right DNA segments. They introduced it into cells using a modified lentiviral vector.

Scientists Use CRISPR to Block HIV Replication Inside Living Cells

CRISPR was not used to add new genes or make any specific substitutions. The point was simply to damage these critical HIV genes. With the mutated and non-functional genes, the virus was crippled. According to the team, their method of targeting multiple HIV gene variants was successful in limiting viral proliferation. Almost no functional virus particles were produced by the cells.

This experiment happened in a cell culture, but future study could result in a method for doing the same in humans. If you can reduce circulating viruses to zero and nuke viral genomes inside cells, you may finally be able to cure HIV.

Continue reading

Xbox Series X Review: The Living Room Gaming PC I’ve (Mostly) Always Wanted
Xbox Series X Review: The Living Room Gaming PC I’ve (Mostly) Always Wanted

The Xbox Series X launches in five days, and we're clear to talk about it. I've never done a console review before, so I went into this from the perspective of what I'm used to — PC gaming. Microsoft objectively has a lot to be proud of, here.

Earth Will Lose Its Oxygen in a Billion Years, Killing Most Living Organisms
Earth Will Lose Its Oxygen in a Billion Years, Killing Most Living Organisms

A new study supported by NASA's exoplanet habitability research lays out how the Sun will eventually bake the planet, turning Earth from a lush, oxygen-rich world to a dried-up husk with no complex life.

Tested: Living With a Google Pixel 5a
Tested: Living With a Google Pixel 5a

Google continues to plow ahead with innovative, relatively inexpensive "a" models of its new phones. After the great experience I've had with my Pixel 4a, I bought a Pixel 5a on day one and have been using it for a week. Here's what I've found and my conclusions.

Living With the Synology RT6600ax Wi-Fi 6 Router
Living With the Synology RT6600ax Wi-Fi 6 Router

Synology is best known for its storage products, but it has been producing mesh-capable routers for several years. I've been working with their newest model, the Synology RT6600ax, for several months, and it is both rock-solid and easy to administer.