By Armaan Singh
In 2020, 680,000 people died from HIV/AIDS around the world. Despite decades of research, HIV still remains untreatable. Medications can only alleviate certain symptoms. However a promising development comes from an unlikely case: the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. HIV ((human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that primarily targets the immune system of the body. Now, how did this virus originate? The virus originated from a species of gorilla situated in Central Africa. These gorillas carried the virus to humans via their blood. This most likely resulted from hunting. This virus was thus known as the simian immunodeficiency virus. Soon enough, this virus spread across the globe. Studies show that HIV arrived in the USA in the mid 1970’s. Since then it has taken millions of lives and affected millions more. You may ask- what causes HIV? HIV is spread via unprotected sexual activities, sharing drug needles, and even through pregnancy. The virus itself is contained in a capsid, a spherical barrier. When entering the body, it damages CD4 T cells weakening the immune system. The race to find a cure has been a challenge.
Despite decades of research, there has been little progress in developing vaccines against HIV. The role of mRNA technology from companies like Moderna holds promise and is a true gamechanger. Moderna is setting global trends with their cutting edge research and technology developing mRNA vaccines after years of development. The vaccines essentially teach cells to make proteins that further trigger an immune response in our bodies. The immune response is to produce antibodies. These high level virus-blocking antibodies are known as neutralizing antibodies or nABs. “These vaccines use lipid nanoparticles, or fat bubbles, to deliver genetic blueprints for making proteins. The mRNA technology is essentially a modular platform that enables genetic material from different viruses, cancer cells, autoimmune antigens and more to be quickly and easily substituted in.” (Highleyman 2020 Science News) In collaboration with Moderna, Dr. Peng Zhang of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease is using mRNA technology to design a vaccine regimen that shows promise -- it delivers mRNA for envelope proteins from three different subtypes of HIV plus a gag protein from SIV, HIV’s simian cousin. With the vaccine, human cells produce virus-like particles that trigger an immune response but are noninfectious. The trials are using male Macaque monkeys, and the results show promise. The monkeys produced a high antibody response that neutralized HIV subtype B proteins.
Trials in humans began in 2018 with 48 HIV negative adults. The protocol for the trial is to give either a high or low dose of protein based vaccine that is designed to activate “naive” B cells of the immune system. Once activated, B cells produce proteins that eventually give rise to broad neutralizing antibodies. If this trial shows success—it will represent a complete paradigm shift in HIV research. Dr. Ian Frank, a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania states that the vaccine, “would need to prevent infection, or the immune response underlying it, entirely. For us to have an HIV vaccine that is effective in a way that will lead to prevention of infection, there is some fine tuning of this vaccine that is going to need to happen.” An additional exciting development is the use of mrNA vaccines in the treatment of cancer. Cancer mutations are unique to each patient and the mRNA vaccine could be tailored to generate those patient specific antibodies. This could prepare a patient’s body to recognize and kill the cancer. Currently Moderna is building mRNA therapies to target and recognize mutations made by cancerous proteins. Imagine a world where one could have a vaccine tailored to the unique needs of your body!
What did I learn?
Question:
What is mRNA technology?
Answer:
mRNA vaccines have years of development and essentially teach cells to make a protein that further triggers an immune response in our bodies. The immune response is to produce antibodies.
Question:
What is involved in the clinical trials of mRNA technology and HIV?
Answer:
The trials are using male Macaque monkeys and the results show promise. The monkeys produced a high antibody response that neutralize antibodies against HIV subtype B proteins. Trials in humans began in 2018 with 48 HIV negative adults. The protocol for the trial is to give either a high or low dose of protein based vaccine that is designed to activate “naive” B cells of the immune system. Once activated, B cells produce proteins that eventually give rise to broad neutralizing antibodies.
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