A gene therapy approach to eliminate HIV-1-infected cells

J Calif Dent Assoc. 2012 May;40(5):402-6.

Abstract

The ideal therapy for HIV infection requires a method to eliminate all HIV-harboring cells in the infected individual. The authors are developing an HIV-specific promoter to drive the expression of suicide genes that would induce cell death specifically in HIV-infected cells. The authors constructed a promoter that is 100-fold more responsive to the HIV transcriptional activator, Tat, than cellular transcription factors, using a plasmid expressing luciferase under the control of the mutated LTR promoter.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Death / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Viral / genetics
  • Genes, Transgenic, Suicide / genetics
  • Genes, tat / genetics
  • Genetic Therapy / methods*
  • HIV Infections / therapy*
  • HIV Long Terminal Repeat / genetics
  • HIV-1 / genetics*
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Luciferases
  • Luminescent Agents
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Plasmids / genetics
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
  • T-Lymphocytes / virology*
  • Transfection

Substances

  • Luminescent Agents
  • Luciferases