Latency Reversing Agents and the Road to a HIV Cure
Tioka L, Diez RC, Sönnerborg A, van de Klundert MA (2025)
Publication Type: Journal article, Review article
Publication year: 2025
Journal
Book Volume: 14
Article Number: 232
Journal Issue: 3
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens14030232
Abstract
HIV-1 infection cannot be cured due to the presence of HIV-1 latently infected cells. These cells do not produce the virus, but they can resume virus production at any time in the absence of antiretroviral therapy. Therefore, people living with HIV (PLWH) need to take lifelong therapy. Strategies have been coined to eradicate the viral reservoir by reactivating HIV-1 latently infected cells and subsequently killing them. Various latency reversing agents (LRAs) that can reactivate HIV-1 in vitro and ex vivo have been identified. The most potent LRAs also strongly activate T cells and therefore cannot be applied in vivo. Many LRAs that reactivate HIV in the absence of general T cell activation have been identified and have been tested in clinical trials. Although some LRAs could reduce the reservoir size in clinical trials, so far, they have failed to eradicate the reservoir. More recently, immune modulators have been applied in PLWH, and the first results seem to indicate that these may reduce the reservoir and possibly improve immunological control after therapy interruption. Potentially, combinations of LRAs and immune modulators could reduce the reservoir size, and in the future, immunological control may enable PLWH to live without developing HIV-related disease in the absence of therapy.
Involved external institutions
Sweden (SE)How to cite
APA:
Tioka, L., Diez, R.C., Sönnerborg, A., & van de Klundert, M.A. (2025). Latency Reversing Agents and the Road to a HIV Cure. Pathogens, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14030232
MLA:
Tioka, Louis, et al. "Latency Reversing Agents and the Road to a HIV Cure." Pathogens 14.3 (2025).
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