Identification of the CD8 Cell Anti-HIV Factor (CAF)

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Sponsor: Hellman Family Foundation

Location(s): United States

Description

Efforts to control HIV infection have led to the development of several antiretroviral drugs that can limit virus replication, however, these therapies do not offer a long-term solution to the infection. We can learn a great deal from HIV-infected individuals who have lived for more than ten years and remain healthy without receiving antiviral drugs. These long-term survivors or long-term non-progressors have an immune system that can control HIV infection. A major component of this immune response is innate immunity, particularly the CD8(+) cell antiviral non-cytotoxic response (CNAR), mediated by a novel CD8(+) cell antiviral factor (CAF).