Herpes simplex virus (HSV) affects millions of people worldwide. While there is no cure, there are several existing medical interventions to suppress symptoms and lower the chances of transmission. However, a new study in Nature Communications highlights an approach that could permanently inactivate HSV-1 and HSV-2, the viruses responsible for oral and genital herpes.
This potential breakthrough comes from researchers at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle, who have successfully treated herpes in a laboratory setting. Using CRISPR-Cas9, a groundbreaking gene-editing tool, scientists were able to target the virus in its latent state—a phase where herpes hides within host cells and evades antiviral drugs. Historically, the herpes latent phase has made it difficult to treat the virus and allowed it to persist for life. “Herpes is very sneaky. It hides out among nerve cells and then reawakens and causes painful skin blisters,” explains research lead Dr. Keith Jerome.
The researchers developed a method to precisely cut and disable the virus’s DNA, preventing it from replicating. In preclinical studies on mice and cultured human cells, the technique reduced the presence of the virus by more than 90%. According to Dr. Jerome, this is a major milestone: “This is the first time we’ve been able to eliminate the virus rather than just suppress it.” Scientists inject gene-editing molecules that act as microscopic scissors, cutting the DNA of the virus into pieces. “These cuts damage the virus so much that it can’t repair itself. Then the body’s own repair systems recognize the damaged DNA as foreign and get rid of it,” details Dr. Martine Aubert, another researcher on the groundbreaking team.
Globally, an estimated 3.7 billion people under age 50 carry HSV-1 (oral herpes), while HSV-2 (genital herpes) affects 491 million people between ages 15 and 49. Beyond the physical symptoms, herpes also carries a significant emotional toll. Many individuals face stigma, impacting their mental health and relationships. Jerome states, “If you talk to people living with herpes, many are worried about whether their infection will transmit to others. Our new study shows that we can reduce both the amount of virus within the body and how much virus is shed.”
While the results are promising, researchers caution the work is still in its early stages. Successfully translating this therapy from the lab to humans will require overcoming significant hurdles, including ensuring safety, refining delivery methods, and figuring out how to safely remove the virus from the body’s nerve cells without causing accidental damage or other unintended side effects. Still, the findings mark a groundbreaking step forward in herpes research. For millions of people living with herpes, a future without the virus may be closer than ever before.
SOURCES
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-47940-y
https://www.forbes.com/sites/talpatalon/2024/12/14/genital-herpes-and-the-future-of-gene-editing