DC CFAR Developmental Core Director Dr. Michael Bukrinsky (GW), DC CFAR Investigator Beda Brichacek (GW) and colleagues published an article in mBio in January 2020 entitled "Inhibition of HIV Replication by Apolipoprotein A-I Binding Protein Targeting the Lipid Rafts".
The study describes a new innate anti-HIV protein, Apolipoprotein A-I binding protein (AIBP). Previous studies established that AIBP specifically modifies membranes of inflammatory cells to reduce inflammation. This current study found that AIBP inhibits HIV replication by targeting lipid rafts and reducing virus-cell fusion. These findings suggest that stimulating AIBP expression may enhance anti-HIV immunity and control HIV infection in infected people.