By The world’s greatest virus, HIV, could be counteracted by an ingenious vaccine made by Caltech Research Center. Although the origins of this virus still remain unknown, one aspect is certain: natural or engineered, this virus alone caused the death of millions in just a few decades. Even with all the new techniques to treat this condition and to prevent people getting infected, around two million people across the world still get this virus every year.
With traditional treatments and vaccines being ineffective after decades, scientists came up with a new approach towards this devastating virus: Gene Therapy. The mechanics of this applied science is to insert genetically mutated viruses into living cells. A genetically mutated virus is a weaker version of a normal virus. That being said, the cell’s DNA merges with the virus DNA in order to obtain a ‘better’ cell. Once in contact with a weaker virus, the cells are able to produce antibodies to that particular disease, being forever immune to the virus at hand.
In this case, the new reprogrammed cells are made to produce HIV antibodies, getting permanent immunity towards any HIV attacks the host could encounter. It is extremely hard for immune systems (even with the required antibodies) to target this virus because it’s unique capability to disguise itself. If this gene therapy vaccine proves to be viable, entire bodies could be able to protect themselves against HIV virus for their entire existence.
Despite being a scientific breakthrough, gene therapy is still the subject of controversial. The method itself can prove to be dangerous to certain people: once the cells are reprogrammed, and say the subject is allergic to some effects of the treatment, one cannot ‘uninstall the new program’ like a piece of unwanted software on one’s computer. The uninstalling process is most likely impossible, not without serious side-effects that could cripple for life any candidate treated.
Being the most suitable for experiments in a laboratory, mouse trials with humanized immune system were used in order to come up with this gene therapy treatment. Mice are extremely similar with human beings at a molecular and DNA level, becoming the perfect hosts for such an ambitious project. So far, the results pleased everyone involved in this project: two types of antibodies were able to protect the mice from the HIV doses administrated. The doses themselves were ridiculously higher than any other amount one can get while being affected in a natural manner (foul needles, blood transfusion, sexual intercourse, etc).
If gene therapy proves to be conclusive in the HIV virus problem, it can be taken to the next level: protecting people from the HIV virus with just one injection that assures the protection of the bearer for life.
Scientist in charge of this project are optimistic towards the outcome of this project, and estimate that human trials may begin within a few years, giving a permanent solution to the most unique virus, HIV, and it’s associated disease, AIDS.