Understanding the link between hepatitis C and HIV persistence

Researchers Naglaa Shoukry and Petronela Ancuta from the Immunopathology Research Theme at the Centre de recherche du CHUM have uncovered a new connection between hepatitis C and the persistence of HIV in the body. Their study, published in eBioMedicine, reveals that hepatitis C infection may play a significant role in the formation of viral reservoirs where HIV can hide and persist despite treatment.

The research indicates that certain immune cells in individuals with hepatitis C are more vulnerable to HIV due to increased levels of CCR5, a protein that HIV uses to enter cells. This exposure risk is directly proportional to the concentration of hepatitis C virus in the bloodstream. Even after a hepatitis C cure and while on antiretroviral therapy, traces of HIV can still be found in these cells.

These cells are suggested to be key players in maintaining these viral reservoirs, one of the main obstacles to completely eradicating the virus.

This new understanding of how HIV reservoirs form and survive offers potential for developing new strategies to target these hidden reservoirs. By deciphering the mechanisms that allow HIV to hide and persist, researchers are inching closer to a long-sought-after goal: a permanent cure for HIV. The study was conducted by Shoukry, Ancuta, and their research team, and their findings are detailed in the article titled "HCV-specific CD4+ T-cells are susceptible to HIV-1 and contribute to viral persistence during antiretroviral therapy" in eBioMedicine.