Recently, a group of Spanish scientists from the IrsiCaixa Research Institute discovered a ganglioside molecule that facilitates the transmission of the HIV virus in the human body. This event is considered a significant step towards finding an effective treatment that can block the activity of this dangerous virus, thereby improving the treatment of patients living with HIV.
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In an article published in the Spanish version of the journal “Plos Biology”, researcher Javier Martinez-Picado noted that after years of investigation, the research team found that the HIV virus infiltrates dendritic cells and is transported by ganglioside molecules to lymph nodes. Once at the lymph nodes, the HIV virus begins to destroy the immune system of the patient through a process that encircles and destroys CD4 T lymphocytes in the patient’s body.
According to Professor Picado, now that the transmission mechanism is understood, science can move towards eliminating the ganglioside molecule that carries HIV.
In the near future, the IrsiCaixa Institute will focus on developing a treatment that can block the interaction between the HIV virus and dendritic cells, and this treatment will undoubtedly be incorporated into current HIV/AIDS treatment methods worldwide.
The current research project at the IrsiCaixa Institute is being conducted in close collaboration with Heidelberg University (Germany) and is funded by the Spanish government.
