Intracellular expression of antibody fragments directed against HIV reverse transcriptase prevents HIV infection in vitro.
We have tested a novel strategy of intracellular immunization to block human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The expression of a specific antibody within a cell was achieved by transduction of genes that encode for immunoglobulin chains with specificity to viral reverse transcriptase. We demonstrated that inhibition of this enzyme makes cells resistant to HIV infection by blocking an early stage of viral replication. If high efficiency transduction with a stable vector into lymphohaematopoietic stem cells or mature lymphocytes can be achieved, gene transfer-mediated intracellular immunization might be a feasible treatment strategy in AIDS.
Maciejewski
J P
JP
Hematology Branch, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1652, USA.
Weichold
F F
FF
Young
N S
NS
Cara
A
A
Zella
D
D
Reitz
M S
MS
Gallo
R C
RC
D015316:Genetic Therapy; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000276:immunology*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014779:Virus Replication
D015483:HIV Antibodies; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C072416:reverse transcriptase, Human immunodeficiency virus 2; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase