Infectious RNA: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Biology, Therapeutic Intervention, and the Quest for a Vaccine

• Published in: Toxins Vol. 14; no. 2; p. 138
• Main Authors: van Heuvel, Yasemin, Schatz, Stefanie, Rosengarten, Jamila Franca, Stitz, Jörn
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 14.02.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; AIDS; AIDS Vaccines - administration & dosage; AIDS Vaccines - immunology; Alternative splicing; Anti-Retroviral Agents - therapeutic use; Antiretroviral agents; Antiretroviral drugs; Antiretroviral therapy; antiretroviral therapy (ART); Binding sites; Chemokines; Coronaviruses; Cytoplasm; Dengue fever; Disease transmission; Enzymes; Gene expression; Genomes; Genomics; HIV; HIV - drug effects; HIV - genetics; HIV Infections - diagnosis; HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV Infections - physiopathology; HIV Infections - prevention & control; HIV vaccines; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Immune system; Infections; mRNA; mRNA splicing; Pathogens; Platforms; Proteins; Public health; Regulatory proteins; Replication; Respiratory diseases; retroviruses; Review; Ribonucleic acid; RNA; RNA viruses; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Splicing; Substance abuse treatment; Toxicity; Tropical diseases; Vaccines; virus replication; Virus Replication - drug effects; Viruses; Zoonoses; antiretroviral therapy (ART); HIV vaccines; HIV; mRNA splicing; virus replication; retroviruses
• ISSN: 2072-6651; 2072-6651
• DOI: 10.3390/toxins14020138

Different mechanisms mediate the toxicity of RNA. Genomic retroviral mRNA hijacks infected host cell factors to enable virus replication. The viral genomic RNA of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) encompasses nine genes encoding in less than 10 kb all proteins needed for replication in susceptible host cells. To do so, the genomic RNA undergoes complex alternative splicing to facilitate the synthesis of the structural, accessory, and regulatory proteins. However, HIV strongly relies on the host cell machinery recruiting cellular factors to complete its replication cycle. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) targets different steps in the cycle, preventing disease progression to the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The comprehension of the host immune system interaction with the virus has fostered the development of a variety of vaccine platforms. Despite encouraging provisional results in vaccine trials, no effective vaccine has been developed, yet. However, novel promising vaccine platforms are currently under investigation.