Treating HIV infection A drug for multiple sclerosis has new hope.

Currently, nearly 40 million people worldwide carry HIV.
although antiretroviral drugs can effectively control HIV, treatment needs to be sustained for life.
this is because HIV can integrate its genome into the genomes of host cells to create latent reservoirs that evade host defense mechanisms and medication.
if treatment is stopped, the virus may be reactivated at some point in the future.
, it is necessary to target HIV infection and latent, and to develop new strategies for alternative and preventive treatment.
, the researchers focused on the role of fingolimod, also known as FTY720.
this immunomodulation drug works by blocking the sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) subject, which is part of the immune system's involvement in the infection process.
clinically, Fingomod has been approved for the treatment of multiple sclerosis and has good daily oral tolerance.
the FTY720 was active in four of the five S1P subjects (S1PR1, 3, 4 and 5) and has been shown to cause a reduction in S1PR1 in lymphocytes.
Bosque and colleagues, FTY720 can block multiple steps in the HIV life cycle in human CD4-positive T cells.
the drug reduces the density of CD4 on the surface of T cells, thereby inhibiting the binding of the virus to cells and blocking the spread of HIV between cells, thereby reducing latent viruses.
addition, the compound activates the antiviral limiting factor SAMHD1, reducing the level of HIV integrated into the genome and overall.
" our team found for the first time that targeting signaling molecule S1P subjects can effectively block HIV infection and the spread of the virus between cells in cellular experiments, thereby reducing the formation of latent reservoirs of viruses.
Bosque concluded: "We believe that this compound may be a promising new treatment for and prevention of HIV.
" References: s1? Rachel Resop et al., (2020) Fingolimods reseds multiple stages of the HIV-1 life cycle. Plos Pathogens. DOI: s2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Retrieved 2020-08-14, from.