The role of latency reversal agents in the cure of HIV: A review of current data

The definitive cure for human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV) infection is represented by the eradication of the virus from the patient's body. To reach this result, cells that are infected but do not produce the virus must become recognizable to be killed by the immune system. For this purpose, drugs defined “latency reverting agents” (LRA) that reactivate viral production are under investigation. A few clinical studies have been performed in HIV-infected patients treated with LRA and combined antiretroviral therapy (cART). The strategy is thus to combine cART and LRA to reactivate the virus and unmask latently infected cells that, because of cART, cannot produce a fully competent form of the virus. Unmasked cells can present viral antigens to the immune system, that ultimately recognizes and kills such latently infected cells. This review reports and discusses recent studies that have been published on this topic.