The use of ribozyme gene therapy for the inhibition of HIV replication and its pathogenic sequelae.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a lentivirus, a separate genus of the Retroviridae which are RNA viruses that integrate as DNA copies into the genomes of host cells and replicate intracellularly through various RNA intermediates. Several of these RNA molecules can be targeted by ribozymes and a number of investigators, including our group, have demonstrated the ability of ribozymes to suppress HIV replication in cultured cells. It is argued that the use of this ribozyme gene therapy approach for the treatment of HIV infection may act as an adjunct to chemotherapeutic drugs and may affect not just viral suppression, but also immune restoration. This approach can be tested in Clinical Trials, several of which are currently under way.
Rigden
J E
JE
Johnson and Johnson Research Labs, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Ely
J A
JA
Macpherson
J L
JL
Gerlach
W L
WL
Sun
L Q
LQ
Symonds
G P
GP
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001665:Binding Sites; D017321:Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic; D015195:Drug Design; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006678:HIV / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008954:Models, Biological; D016337:RNA, Catalytic / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D016337:RNA, Catalytic; D012367:RNA, Viral