The human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV ) creates a latent reservoir ( LR ) before long after infect the innkeeper . The man-made lake is made up of the cells that are infect with HIV , but do not actively produce the virus . When it is inactive , the virus can hide from antiretroviral treatment ( ART ) , which is why the medications can not cure a person of HIV . It is possible for cell in the LR to reactivate and being to bring on HIV proteins , so it will always sit a threat . A bailiwick from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine published 28 December 2024 inCellhas shown that the LR is 60 time large than antecedently mean and does not behave predictably . This give new challenge to investigator develop medications .
There are two way to detect LR : polymerase chain chemical reaction ( PCR ) and viral offset assay ( VOA ) . HIV DNA that is nonfunctioning in the cell is overstate with PCR so that researchers can weigh it . VOA works by pull the dormant computer virus cells to reactivate and create HIV protein , which can then be value .
This subject area combined both technique by first inducing cells from the LR , and then using PCR on the rest to see what the first proficiency may have miss . It turns out , VOA overlook a tidy sum . Not all of the cells that have been made to reactivate actually do the first sentence around .
Of the electric cell that did not reactivate after the first round of treatment , 88 % of them would not be able to run anyway due to mutations that will them defective . The other 12 % of the HIV DNA that did n’t activate did not have any defects and should officiate unremarkably . Researchers are having a difficult time understanding why those electric cell did not respond , and have concluded that cellphone reactivation must be random . They also determined the number of jail cell in the LR is 60 time greater than previously believed .
Whilethese resultsare interesting , it submit a spartan job in the intervention of the virus : If the cubicle can not be induced to bring forth protein , ART can not retrieve and snipe the computer virus . If the computer virus stays hide in the LR , there is always a possibility for it to come back .
These outcome might fathom disheartening at first glance . However , having a clear , accurate picture of the problem at hand will tolerate investigator to well understand virus latent period so more effective treatments can be developed .
