Granada researchers develop molecular scissors to combat HIV

Researchers from the López-Neyra Institute of Parasitology and Biomedicine, part of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) in Granada, in collaboration with an international team from Amsterdam, have developed a technique to eliminate portions of HIV DNA in infected laboratory cells.

Using CRISPR-SaCas9 "molecular scissors," the method cuts the virus's genetic material at two specific points to remove the fragment between them. This technique proved effective in up to 97% of treated cells and modified the remaining viral genome to prevent the virus from repairing itself or replicating if antiretroviral treatment is interrupted.

While the results are promising, experts note that the study was conducted only on in vitro cellular models. Researcher Elena Herrera Carrillo explained that HIV is difficult to eradicate because it integrates into human DNA and can remain silent. Future steps include validating the strategy in "ex vivo" patient cells and testing it in humanized mouse models, while ensuring the tool does not cause unintended cuts in the human genome.