T memory stem cells have been discovered as possible long-term viral HIV reservoirs that can be used as potential targets of advanced treatments. Experts found that these infected cells prevent antiviral therapy effectiveness even for several years of treatment.

T Memory Stem Cells Infection

Experts from Massachusetts General Hospital and the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard found where HIV can also hide inside the body, a small group of recently identified T cells with stem-cell like properties.

HIV damages the human race by attacking the immune cells and making patients vulnerable against opportunistic infections such as Kaposi's sarcoma and pneumonia. Antiviral drugs can only suppress replication but can't remove the viral load in cellular scale.

"Most human cells are short lived so it has been unclear how HIV manages to stick around for decades in spite of very effective antiviral treatment. This question led to the hypothesis that HIV might infect stem cells - the most long-lasting cells in the body - but traditional organ-specific stem cells, even those that give rise to all immune and blood cells, are resistant to HIV infection. We have discovered that a new group of T cells, called T memory stem cells, are susceptible to HIV and likely represent the longest lasting cellular niche for the virus," Dr. Mathias Lichterfeld of the MGH Infectious Disease Division said in a statement, as quoted by Eureka Alert.

Targeting Specific Cells

According to MGH/Ragon team, blood samples taken from patients under long-term antiviral treatment revealed levels of HIV DNA at the highest point inside T memory stem cells. Also, the amount of HIV DNA in these infected stem-cell like cells remained relatively stable over time even with long-term medication which means ART is ineffective in cellular level to kill the virus.

"Our findings suggest that novel, specific interventions will have to be designed to target HIV-infected T memory stem cells. Methods of inhibiting stem cell pathways are being studied to eliminate cancer stem cells - persistent cells that are responsible for tumour recurrence after conventional treatments kill proliferating tumour cells. We are now investigating whether any of the drugs that target cancel stem cells might be effective against HIV-infected T memory stem cells," Lichterfeld explained.

Exposing HIV reservoirs are very critical in the research for cure or vaccine which will enable new drugs to specifically target cells within and free them from viral load then ends the long-term, aching antiretroviral drugs therapy.