CCR5

Organisms and cells that a particular virus can infect, that's known as the host range.

Little clinical factoid: A small number of people carry a mutation that prevents expression of the CCR5 receptor on their T cells, and this makes them highly resistant to most strains of HIV because the virus can't bind to and enter the cell.

I share this example to show how specific receptors must be.

Once attached, the virus needs to get inside.

This drug blocks the HIV envelope from merging into the CD4 T cells.

CCR5 antagonists.

These work a little differently.

They block the CCR5 receptor in the CD4T lymphocytes, which prevents the virus from entering the cell.

Integrase strand transfer inhibitors.

This drug blocks integrase.

And so there's actually medications that look at that.

They target CCR5 to say, okay, these individuals genetically are immune to HIV.

There must be a way for us to develop a drug that mimics that to help block HIV.

And in fact, that actually is true.