"Vedolizumab Could Be Used To Target Latent HIV Harboring In The Gut" - Alex Young
Vedolizumab, a first-line treatment for inflammatory bowel disease that targets the alpha4beta7 protein, might be an important tool in the search for a cure for HIV, according to research published in Science Translational Medicine. Saurabh Mehandru, MD, associate professor of medicine and gastroenterology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, said the scientists studying HIV have been interested in targeting the gut for some time. “The latent reservoir ... the single greatest impediment to cure, that HIV remains sequestered to lymphocytes, both inside the intestine and outside the intestine,” he said. “Since the gut represents the largest aggregator of lymphoid collection in the body, it makes sense that the latent reservoir of HIV will have a major representation in the gut.” Researchers observed an attrition of lymphoid aggregates, particularly in the terminal ileum. Dr. Mehandru said this was unexpected, adding that as researchers continue to dig into the mechanism through which vedolizumab targets the alpha4beta7 protein, it could help lead them to a cure for HIV.
- Saurabh Mehandru, MD, Associate Professor, Medicine, Gastroenterology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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