Researchers develop stem cells that attack and destroy HIV
Scientists from the University of California Los Angeles have found that genetically engineered human stem cells can suppress HIV in living mice, raising the hope for a breakthrough cure for HIV patients. - In a recent study from the journal PLoS Pathogens, researchers wanted to go further than previous studies that used vaccines to slow HIV progression. They cloned a molecule that controls “killer” T cells, white blood cells that recognize and kill HIV-infected cells. The molecule was then injected with human blood stem cells inside of mice to control those cells for observation. Over a month after injecting the cells into the mice, researchers found an increase in the amount of T-cells needed to fight HIV cells. The study revealed for the first time that engineered cells were capable of developing and migrating to the organs to fight infection there. Lead researcher Scott G. Kitchen, an assistant professor at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine, was pleased with the results.