TY - JOUR
T1 - Towards a molecular profile of antiretroviral therapy-free HIV remission
AU - Adams, Philipp
AU - Berkhout, Ben
AU - Pasternak, Alexander O.
N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the grant no. 09120011910035 from the Dutch Medical Research Council (ZonMw). Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
PY - 2022/9/1
Y1 - 2022/9/1
N2 - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To summarize the current status and highlight recent findings on predictive biomarkers for posttreatment HIV control (PTC) and virological remission. While historically, many studies focused on virological markers, there is an increasing tendency to enter immune and metabolic factors into the equation. RECENT FINDINGS: On the virological side, several groups reported that cell-associated HIV RNA could predict time to viral rebound. Recent data hints at the possible importance of the genic location and chromatin context of the integrated provirus, although these factors still need to be assessed in relation to PTC and virological remission. Evidence from immunological studies highlighted innate and humoral immunity as important factors for prolonged HIV remission. Interestingly, novel metabolic markers have emerged, which offer additional angles to our understanding of latency and viral rebound. SUMMARY: Facilitating PTC and virological remission remain top priorities for the HIV cure research. We advocate for clear and precise definitions for both phenomena in order to avoid misconceptions and to strengthen the conclusions that can be drawn. As no one-size-fits-all marker has emerged yet, more biomarkers are on the horizon, and viral rebound is a complex and heterogeneous process, it is likely that a combination of various biomarkers in cohesion will be necessary for a more accurate prediction of antiretroviral therapy-free HIV remission.
AB - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To summarize the current status and highlight recent findings on predictive biomarkers for posttreatment HIV control (PTC) and virological remission. While historically, many studies focused on virological markers, there is an increasing tendency to enter immune and metabolic factors into the equation. RECENT FINDINGS: On the virological side, several groups reported that cell-associated HIV RNA could predict time to viral rebound. Recent data hints at the possible importance of the genic location and chromatin context of the integrated provirus, although these factors still need to be assessed in relation to PTC and virological remission. Evidence from immunological studies highlighted innate and humoral immunity as important factors for prolonged HIV remission. Interestingly, novel metabolic markers have emerged, which offer additional angles to our understanding of latency and viral rebound. SUMMARY: Facilitating PTC and virological remission remain top priorities for the HIV cure research. We advocate for clear and precise definitions for both phenomena in order to avoid misconceptions and to strengthen the conclusions that can be drawn. As no one-size-fits-all marker has emerged yet, more biomarkers are on the horizon, and viral rebound is a complex and heterogeneous process, it is likely that a combination of various biomarkers in cohesion will be necessary for a more accurate prediction of antiretroviral therapy-free HIV remission.
KW - HIV cure
KW - HIV persistence
KW - HIV reservoir
KW - posttreatment control
KW - replication competence
KW - virological remission
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85135547426&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1097/COH.0000000000000749
DO - https://doi.org/10.1097/COH.0000000000000749
M3 - Review article
C2 - 35938464
SN - 1746-630X
VL - 17
SP - 301
EP - 307
JO - Current opinion in HIV and AIDS
JF - Current opinion in HIV and AIDS
IS - 5
ER -