Publication

Crossroads of Cancer and HIV-1: Pathways to a Cure for HIV

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Last modified
  • 05/14/2025
Type of Material
Authors
    Christina Gavegnano, Emory UniversityAndrea Savarino, Istituto Superiore di SanitaTaofeek Owanikoko, Emory UniversityVincent Marconi, Emory University
Language
  • English
Date
  • 2019-10-04
Publisher
  • Frontiers Media
Publication Version
Copyright Statement
  • © Copyright © 2019 Gavegnano, Savarino, Owanikoko and Marconi.
License
Final Published Version (URL)
Title of Journal or Parent Work
ISSN
  • 1664-3224
Volume
  • 10
Start Page
  • 2267
End Page
  • 2267
Grant/Funding Information
  • This work was supported by Emory Center for AIDS Research (P30AI050409).
Abstract
  • Recently, a second individual (the “London patient”) with HIV-1 infection and concomitant leukemia was cured of both diseases by a conditioning myeloablative regimen followed by transplantation of stem cells bearing the homozygous CCR5 Δ32 mutation. The substantial risks and cost associated with this procedure render it unfeasible on a large scale. This strategy also indicates that a common pathway toward a cure for both HIV and cancer may exist. Successful approaches to curing both diseases should ideally possess three components, i.e., (1) direct targeting of pathological cells (neoplastic cells in cancer and the HIV-infected reservoir cells), (2) subsequent impediment to reconstitution of the pool of pathological cells and (3) sustained, immunologic control of the disease (both diseases are characterized by detrimental immune hyper-activation that hinders successful establishment of immunity). In this review, we explore medications that are either investigational or FDA-approved anticancer treatments that may be employed to achieve the goal of curing HIV-1. These include: thioredoxin reductase inhibitors (phases 1–3), immune checkpoint inhibitors (phases 1, 3), Jak inhibitors (FDA approved for arthritis and multiple cancer indications, summarized in Table 1). Of note, some of these medications such as arsenic trioxide and Jak inhibitors may also reversibly down regulate CCR5 expression on CD4+ T-cells, thus escaping the ethical issues of inducing or transferring mutations in CCR5 that are presently the subject of interest as it relates to HIV-1 cure strategies.
Author Notes
Keywords
Research Categories
  • Health Sciences, Immunology
  • Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery

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