Unspoken Dangers of HTLV-1: A Potent Virus Often Overlooked
Breakthrough Study Offers Hope for Treatment of Neglected Virus HTLV-1
A groundbreaking study published in the prestigious journal Cell has brought new hope for a treatment for HTLV-1, a retrovirus similar to HIV that has eluded a cure for decades. The study, conducted by researchers from The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) and the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, has shown promising progress in the use of existing HIV antivirals to suppress HTLV-1 transmission and infection.
The study found that two HIV drugs, tenofovir and dolutegravir, can powerfully suppress HTLV-1 in humanized mouse models. These drugs are already approved and widely used for HIV treatment, which means they could potentially be used for HTLV-1 patients in clinical trials.
Key findings from the study include:
- The combination of antiretroviral therapy with tenofovir and dolutegravir significantly reduces HTLV-1 infection and disease development in mice transplanted with human T cells susceptible to HTLV-1.
- A novel approach combining HIV drugs with an inhibitor of the protein MCL-1, which supports the survival of infected cells, enabled selective killing of HTLV-1-infected cells. This points towards a potential curative strategy.
- The research team is pursuing precision RNA therapies targeting MCL-1 to develop combination treatments that could eventually be tested in clinical trials.
This represents the first time HTLV-1 suppression has been demonstrated in a living organism, marking a major breakthrough for this neglected virus that currently has no cure or preventative treatments.
HTLV-1, thought to have been in the human population for more than 20,000 years, is spread through blood, breastmilk, and sexual contact. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 5-10 million people were living with HTLV-1 infection in 2012. Between 0.25 and 2 percent of infected individuals may develop a condition called HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), which can cause progressive muscle weakness, spasms, and stiffness.
The study looked at international strains of the virus as well as a genetically distinct one found only in Australia. Additionally, parallel research has revealed that HTLV-1 maintains long-term stealth infection by using a newly identified viral silencer genetic element that suppresses viral gene expression, allowing the virus to hide from immune detection. Understanding this silencer mechanism may enable the development of therapies that reactivate and expose HTLV-1 to immune clearance, potentially complementing antiviral treatments.
The hope is that HTLV-1 patients can be enrolled on clinical trials, and there is a real opportunity to prevent the transmission of HTLV-1 and end the diseases caused by this virus. More women than men are affected by HTLV-1, but the reasons are not understood. Infections are clustered in "hotspot" regions, including southwestern Japan, sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, South America, and certain parts of the Middle East, Melanesia, and central Australia.
This study offers a significant leap forward in the search for a treatment for HTLV-1, a virus that has long been neglected in the field of medical research. The findings are a testament to the power of scientific collaboration and the potential for repurposing existing drugs to tackle new diseases.
- The study, a significant leap forward in the field of medical research, offers hope for a treatment for HTLV-1, a retrovirus similar to HIV.
- Conducted by researchers from WEHI and the Peter Doherty Institute, the study has shown promising progress in the use of existing HIV antivirals to suppress HTLV-1 transmission and infection.
- The study, published in the prestigious journal Cell, found that two HIV drugs, tenofovir and dolutegravir, can powerfully suppress HTLV-1 in humanized mouse models.
- These drugs, already approved and widely used for HIV treatment, could potentially be used for HTLV-1 patients in clinical trials.
- The key findings of the study include the combination of antiretroviral therapy with tenofovir and dolutegravir significantly reducing HTLV-1 infection and disease development in mice.
- A novel approach combining HIV drugs with an inhibitor of the protein MCL-1, which supports the survival of infected cells, enabled selective killing of HTLV-1-infected cells.
- This points towards a potential curative strategy in the treatment of HTLV-1.
- The research team is pursuing precision RNA therapies targeting MCL-1 to develop combination treatments that could eventually be tested in clinical trials.
- HTLV-1, thought to have been in the human population for over 20,000 years, is spread through blood, breastmilk, and sexual contact.
- According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 5-10 million people were living with HTLV-1 infection in 2012.
- Between 0.25 and 2 percent of infected individuals may develop a condition called HAM/TSP, which can cause progressive muscle weakness, spasms, and stiffness.
- The study looked at international strains of the virus as well as a genetically distinct one found only in Australia.
- Parallel research has revealed that HTLV-1 maintains long-term stealth infection by using a newly identified viral silencer genetic element that suppresses viral gene expression.
- Understanding this silencer mechanism may enable the development of therapies that reactivate and expose HTLV-1 to immune detection, potentially complementing antiviral treatments.