Treatment for SIVrcm, a precursor for HIV virus
Category: Research Poster
Author(s): Margo Burghart, Ella Barnett, Leila Mulder
Presenter(s): Margo Burghart
Mentors(s): Ramesh Akkina
As of 2024, 40.8 million people are infected with Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV- 1). One way it can be treated is with Maraviroc, an antiretroviral drug that in combination with other medications can inhibit the CCR5 receptor that HIV-1 uses to enter the host cell. HIV-1 is derived from Simian immunodeficiency viruses that had infected African primates, with SIVrcm representing one of the lineages involved. SIVrcm originates in red-capped mangabeys and can cross into other species, including humans. As of right now, this has only ever occurred in vitro. Nevertheless, it is important to prepare if cross-species transmission occurs. In this study, MOLT-4 cells will be infected with both HIV-1 and SIVrcm viruses. Then they will be treated with varying levels of Maraviroc, with supernatant collected every other day through Day 7. It is hypothesized that SIVrcm will need a higher dosage of Maraviroc than HIV because SIVrcm is capable of using CCR2 for entry into the cell, rather than the CCR5 receptor on CD4 cells. In our assay, it showed in comparisonCURC abstract.docx to untreated HIV controls, viral loads in maraviroc treated HIV infected MOLT-4s were lower. However, further investigation is required to determine if maraviroc is a viable treatment against SIVrcm in MOLT-4 cells.