Over the last 3 decades, since the discovery of Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) considerable progress has been made in understanding how HIV infects and modulates the host immune system and subverts human gene machinery, along with the availability of antiretroviral drugs to treat HIV patients and providing them a good quality life. Even though we have learned to control HIV with antiretroviral drugs, it remains unclear how some HIV+ patients, termed long-term non-progressors (LTNP) or Elite controllers (EC), can control HIV naturally in the absence of anti-retroviral therapy and continue to survive for longer periods of time with below detectable levels of plasma viremia. These ECs, who constitute <1% of the total population of HIV+ individuals globally. Their ability to control HIV naturally has led to renewed interest in these individuals because it is believed that they may harbor possible clues to cure of HIV disease. Currently, there is a global push, initiated by Nobel Laureate Barre-Sinoussi, for developing new generation of cure strategies and such HIV+ individuals are at the heart of this global push.
Therefore, the topic “Current Perspectives in Non-progressive HIV disease” is timely. The main objective of this topic is to provide readers a comprehensive and an encyclopedic snapshot of progress made to date in the understanding of non-progressive HIV disease. This will cover topics ranging from the role of genetics, microRNA and gene expression, to antiviral mechanisms, innate and adaptive immunity and the role of viral factors in natural control of HIV disease, etc. Knowledge and clear understanding of these aspects will provide readers a multidisciplinary and a panoramic view on what has been achieved so far and what needs to be done in understanding natural control of HIV. It will stimulate new ideas in HIV research and lead to the development of new generation of treatments and biomarkers, along with a clear understanding of mechanisms underlying non-progressive HIV disease and a possible cure for HIV.
Chapter 1. Immuno genetics: Genomewide Association of Non-progressive HIV : Role Played by HLA Genes –(Jean Francois. Zagury and his team, France. E-mail: (zagury@cnam.fr)
Chapter 2. Genomewide microarray expression : What have we learnt from human genome about non-progressive HIV disease (Nitin Saksena, Australia) (E-mail: nitin.saksena@sydney.edu.au)
Chapter 3. Micro-RNA in HIV infection and non-progressive disease (Julie zhou, Priyanka Gupta, Raany Rahme and Lauren- Australia) (Julie.zhou@sydney.edu.au)
Chapter 4. Innate and adaptive immunity in long-term non-progression in HIV disease (Dr. John Zaunders, Australia) (E-mail: j.zaunders@amr.org.au)
Chapter 5. Viral factors in non-progression (Dr. Bin Wang, Australia) (E-mail: bin_wang@wmi.usyd.edu.au)
Chapter 6. Cellular immunity in non-progressive HIV disease (Dr. Massimo Alfano, Italy) (alfano.massimo@hsr.it)
Chapter 7. Cellular factors or Host proteins implicated in non-progression (Dr. Jaao Goncalves, Portugal) (E-mail: joao.goncalves@ff.ul.pt)
Chapter 8. Lessons on non-progression of HIV disease from monkeys
Chapter 9. Therapeutic leads and lessons to be learnt from natural control of HIV disease from HIV+ non-progressors Where we stand and what more needs to be done in unlocking elements that lead to non-progressive disease in HIV-infected individuals?
Over the last 3 decades, since the discovery of Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) considerable progress has been made in understanding how HIV infects and modulates the host immune system and subverts human gene machinery, along with the availability of antiretroviral drugs to treat HIV patients and providing them a good quality life. Even though we have learned to control HIV with antiretroviral drugs, it remains unclear how some HIV+ patients, termed long-term non-progressors (LTNP) or Elite controllers (EC), can control HIV naturally in the absence of anti-retroviral therapy and continue to survive for longer periods of time with below detectable levels of plasma viremia. These ECs, who constitute <1% of the total population of HIV+ individuals globally. Their ability to control HIV naturally has led to renewed interest in these individuals because it is believed that they may harbor possible clues to cure of HIV disease. Currently, there is a global push, initiated by Nobel Laureate Barre-Sinoussi, for developing new generation of cure strategies and such HIV+ individuals are at the heart of this global push.
Therefore, the topic “Current Perspectives in Non-progressive HIV disease” is timely. The main objective of this topic is to provide readers a comprehensive and an encyclopedic snapshot of progress made to date in the understanding of non-progressive HIV disease. This will cover topics ranging from the role of genetics, microRNA and gene expression, to antiviral mechanisms, innate and adaptive immunity and the role of viral factors in natural control of HIV disease, etc. Knowledge and clear understanding of these aspects will provide readers a multidisciplinary and a panoramic view on what has been achieved so far and what needs to be done in understanding natural control of HIV. It will stimulate new ideas in HIV research and lead to the development of new generation of treatments and biomarkers, along with a clear understanding of mechanisms underlying non-progressive HIV disease and a possible cure for HIV.
Chapter 1. Immuno genetics: Genomewide Association of Non-progressive HIV : Role Played by HLA Genes –(Jean Francois. Zagury and his team, France. E-mail: (zagury@cnam.fr)
Chapter 2. Genomewide microarray expression : What have we learnt from human genome about non-progressive HIV disease (Nitin Saksena, Australia) (E-mail: nitin.saksena@sydney.edu.au)
Chapter 3. Micro-RNA in HIV infection and non-progressive disease (Julie zhou, Priyanka Gupta, Raany Rahme and Lauren- Australia) (Julie.zhou@sydney.edu.au)
Chapter 4. Innate and adaptive immunity in long-term non-progression in HIV disease (Dr. John Zaunders, Australia) (E-mail: j.zaunders@amr.org.au)
Chapter 5. Viral factors in non-progression (Dr. Bin Wang, Australia) (E-mail: bin_wang@wmi.usyd.edu.au)
Chapter 6. Cellular immunity in non-progressive HIV disease (Dr. Massimo Alfano, Italy) (alfano.massimo@hsr.it)
Chapter 7. Cellular factors or Host proteins implicated in non-progression (Dr. Jaao Goncalves, Portugal) (E-mail: joao.goncalves@ff.ul.pt)
Chapter 8. Lessons on non-progression of HIV disease from monkeys
Chapter 9. Therapeutic leads and lessons to be learnt from natural control of HIV disease from HIV+ non-progressors Where we stand and what more needs to be done in unlocking elements that lead to non-progressive disease in HIV-infected individuals?
