HIV Genetic Remnants Can Alter Immune Cells in Ways that May Promote Viral Persistence

HIV genetic remnants can alter immune cells in ways that may promote viral persistence

HIV may be suppressed by antiretroviral therapy, but its genetic material remains in the body. New research by scientists at the Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV) in Hamburg suggests that some of these viral remnants may be doing more than simply lingering: Integration of HIV in specific genes, such as the BACH2 master regulator, can change the biology of the cell carrying it. This pushes CD4 T cells towards a state that favors long-term survi…

Defective HIV proviruses reprogram T cells at selected integration sites

A cellular study shows how transcriptionally active defective HIV proviruses can reprogram CD4 T cells through integration-site-specific effects on host genes.