An anti-CD45RO immunotoxin eliminates T cells latently infected with HIV-1 in vitro.
Despite the success of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in lowering circulating HIV-1 to undetectable levels in most infected individuals, several studies have documented the presence of a small reservoir of latently infected cells in HAART patients, the majority of which are CD45RO(+) memory T cells. We previously have demonstrated that latently infected, replication-competent cells can be generated in vitro after eliminating CD25(+) cells with an immunotoxin (IT). The present study was designed to determine whether these latent cells could be eliminated by an anti-CD45RO IT. Our results indicate that the anti-CD45RO IT eliminates >99%, of either M-tropic or T-tropic virus produced by the latently infected cells after mitogen stimulation. This IT also appears to be as effective as the anti-CD25 IT in eliminating the activated, HIV-1-producing cells. In contrast, the anti-CD45RO IT does not kill CD45RA(+) naive cells. Further studies using cells from HIV-1-infected individuals on HAART will be necessary to determine the potential clinical utility of this IT.
McCoig
C
C
The Cancer Immunobiology Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75235, USA.
Van Dyke
G
G
Chou
C S
CS
Picker
L J
LJ
Ramilo
O
O
Vitetta
E S
ES
D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D000922:Immunotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology*; D017735:Virus Latency
D004279:DNA, Viral; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D000922:Immunotoxins; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens