Study finds new RNA nanomedicine lowers HIV replication by 73%

The findings were published in the Journal of Controlled Release.

HIV is a virus that targets the body's immune system and white blood cells, leaving individuals susceptible to various infections and illnesses. Presently, there is no cure for HIV. While antiretroviral therapy (ART) can assist in disease management, it does not eradicate the virus. Without treatment, HIV can progress to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) within a decade or longer.

For the study, the researchers created a new nanomedicine filled with genetic materials called small interfering RNAs (siRNA)Trusted Source.

“siRNA was selected as a potential therapy because they can be designed to regulate the expression of specific genes in the body,” said lead study author Dr. Emmanuel Ho, associate professor in the School of Pharmacy at the University of Waterloo. “Benefits of this include lower chance of side effects in comparison to conventional small molecule drugs.”

By utilizing siRNAs to modulate gene expression, researchers achieved a 73% reduction in HIV replication. Furthermore, the novel nanomedicine addressed challenges associated with HIV-related autophagy, the body's cellular recycling process for eliminating viruses and bacteria.

"Autophagy is a natural cellular mechanism for recycling proteins and removing pathogens. However, HIV can hinder autophagy through the production of the protein Nef." explained Dr. Ho.

The study also employed a dual preventive approach, targeting both the host gene CCR5 and the viral gene Nef.

“By developing a combination nanomedicine that can deliver siRNA specific for Nef and CCR5, we hope to one, reduce the expression of CCR5 on cells to reduce HIV binding and infection two, if unfortunately, HIV is still able to infect cells, then by reducing the expression of Nef, we can re-activate autophagy in these cells so that they can digest HIV. This is the first study demonstrating this two-pronged approach for preventing HIV infection.” said Dr. Ho.

Reference: Sidi Yang, Yufei Chen, Jijin Gu, Angela Harris, Ruey-Chyi Su, Emmanuel A. Ho; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.12.043