Gene therapy for the treatment of AIDS: animal models and human clinical experience.
Although antiretroviral drug therapy has had a significant impact on the natural history of HIV infection, complete virus eradication still remains an unattainable goal. Drug-mediated virological control only occurs transiently, in part as a result of the development of drug resistance. Gene therapy for the treatment of AIDS is a promising area of research that has as its goal the replacement of the HIV-infected cellular pool with cells engineered to resist virus replication. A variety of anti-HIV genes have been designed and tested in laboratory systems, and available results from pilot clinical trials demonstrate the safety and feasibility of this approach. Obstacles to effective application of this technology include partial protection of HIV resistance genes, lack of effective vectoring systems, and unregulated gene expression. Herein, we review recent advances in transduction methods, data from in vivo preclinical studies in relevant animal models, and emerging results derived from pilot clinical gene therapy studies.
Amado
R G
RG
Division of Hematology/Oncology,UCLA School of Medicine, 11-964 Factor Building, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. ramado@ucla.edu
Mitsuyasu
R T
RT
Zack
J A
JA
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015694:Gene Products, rev / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006678:HIV / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006410:Hematopoiesis; D006801:Humans; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D016337:RNA, Catalytic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000472:pathogenicity; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000821:virology; D014161:Transduction, Genetic; D054321:rev Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
D015694:Gene Products, rev; D016337:RNA, Catalytic; D054321:rev Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus