Brain HIV persists; integrin-blocking therapy backfires, boosting brain viral load
A primate study shows that an integrin-targeting drug used to curb brain inflammation can backfire by increasing HIV/SIV levels in the brain. Blocking alpha-4 integrin reduces killer T cells while helper T cells continue to ferry virus into the brain, sustaining inflammation and promoting brain damage. The findings suggest that therapies must target immune responses with high precision to protect the brain without enhancing viral reservoirs, and there is currently no method to clear HIV from brain or spinal cord.