Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) -- antibodies that can defend a cell by neutralizing different strains of the pathogen -- shows promise in preventing and treating HIV infection. But a couple of researches now have shown it's difficult to use bNAbs to fight HIV. A such antibody, VRC01, blocked HIV for only a short time. In all the 24 HIV-infected patients that were enrolled in the research, the virus reappeared within 8 weeks after the patients stopped conventional anti-viral treatment.
One research was undertaken by the universities of Pennsylvania and Alabama investigators,showing that combinations of neutralizing antibodies are necessary for HIV long-term control. This is consistent with former studies suggesting that it's required to attack HIV in multiple ways to avoid potential drug resistance and viral resurgence. Pennsylvania investigators led a trial of 14 HIV-infected individuals. Results showed that these participates harbored a pre-existing virus that was resistant to VRCO1. Moreover, they had a virus that developed resistance to VRCO1 during treatment.
The fact that the majority of antibodies in the body can only effectively attack one strain of HIV. Unfortunately, HIV mutates constantly, leading to the failure of the body to eliminate the virus. In addition, antiviral therapies only inhibit HIV replications but can not clear out it, so the virus can reappear in some circumstances.
To date, scientists have found that a subset of HIV+ individuals had extremely powerful antibodies that can suppress the virus even the people did not take antiviral therapies. One of such antibody -- VRC01 --was separated few years ago and it inhibited 90% of known HIV strains. CusAb has FITC conjugated antibody targeted against HIV.
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