Most people know that HIV can be transmitted during sexual intercourse, but a new video takes this a step further by actually showing the process.
What The HIV Video Shows
Researchers in France created a vitro model within a video of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as it infects a cell during sexual intercourse.
The video and a study about the findings were published on May 8 in the journal Cell Reports.
In the video, a green T cell with HIV is about to infect epithelial cells. A virological synapse, which is a pocket, quickly forms as it approaches an epithelial cell. The infected cell's membrane shoots out the HIV virus. In the video, this looks like green dots coming out of the cell. The virus particles then get in contact with the uninfected cell.
A compressed version of the video that is two seconds long can be viewed here.
In the video, the T cell went right after the epithelial cells that are above macrophages.
"The macrophage just stays still, ready to get the virus when it escapes the epithelial cells, We couldn't have imagined that before this kind of imaging," said senior researcher Morgane Bomsel, a molecular biologist at the Institut Cochin.
The Creation And Purpose Of The HIV Video
The video was created so that researchers can visualize the entire experience of how HIV is transmitted.
"We had this global idea of how HIV infects this tissue, but following something live is completely different. The precise sequence of events can be defined, and we were very surprised by them," said Bomsel.
A model of genetic tissue in a lab dish was used to create the video. The researchers used a green fluorescent protein to label the infected T cell so that viewers knew where the virus was coming from.
What This HIV Video Means
There are over 36 million people in the world with HIV, including 2 million children. Although there is currently no cure, treatment can make a big difference.
The video showing the T cells go after the epithelial cells above the macrophages will provide important insight about treating the virus. If the macrophages consume the infected cell, it will continue to shed the virus for up to 20 days. However, the virus is still within the macrophages.
Currently, the virus reaching the macrophages presents an incredible challenge for scientists trying to treat HIV.
"An aim would be to act extremely early upon infection to avoid this reservoir formation, which is why I think a vaccine active at the mucosa is what you would need," said Bomsel.
