Searching for a Cure: Ingenol-B as a Potential Drug Therapy for HIV

Location

Old Dominion University, Learning Commons at Perry Library, Room 1307

Start Date

4-8-2017 3:00 PM

End Date

4-8-2017 3:20 PM

Description

The enigma that is HIV infection revolves around the presence of a latent reservoir consisting of resting CD4 T cells harboring intact proviruses. The inactivity of the viruses hides them from the immune system and antiretroviral therapy. HAART controls HIV by targeting various steps of viral replication. In order to completely cure HIV–infected patients, a therapy needs to deplete the entire latent reservoir. One promising strategy for a cure is the Shock and Kill” method, where Latency Reversing Agents “shock” proviruses out of latency without T cell activation. Findings have demonstrated that Bryostatin-1 simultaneously induces CD8+ T cell exhaustion. Since CD8 T cells are integral to the “kill” aspect of “Shock and Kill”, the aim of this project was to establish which LRA combinations effectively reverse latency without CD8 T cell exhaustion. We studied Ingenol-B, which has a high LR potency, yet reduced toxicity, relative to other PKC agonists. We used Elite Suppressors, HIV infected individuals with CD8 T cells capable of suppressing HIV without HAART.

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Apr 8th, 3:00 PM Apr 8th, 3:20 PM

Searching for a Cure: Ingenol-B as a Potential Drug Therapy for HIV

Old Dominion University, Learning Commons at Perry Library, Room 1307

The enigma that is HIV infection revolves around the presence of a latent reservoir consisting of resting CD4 T cells harboring intact proviruses. The inactivity of the viruses hides them from the immune system and antiretroviral therapy. HAART controls HIV by targeting various steps of viral replication. In order to completely cure HIV–infected patients, a therapy needs to deplete the entire latent reservoir. One promising strategy for a cure is the Shock and Kill” method, where Latency Reversing Agents “shock” proviruses out of latency without T cell activation. Findings have demonstrated that Bryostatin-1 simultaneously induces CD8+ T cell exhaustion. Since CD8 T cells are integral to the “kill” aspect of “Shock and Kill”, the aim of this project was to establish which LRA combinations effectively reverse latency without CD8 T cell exhaustion. We studied Ingenol-B, which has a high LR potency, yet reduced toxicity, relative to other PKC agonists. We used Elite Suppressors, HIV infected individuals with CD8 T cells capable of suppressing HIV without HAART.