Genetic Strategies for HIV Treatment and Prevention

Alexander Falkenhagen; Sadhna Joshi

doi:10.1016/j.omtn.2018.09.018

Genetic Strategies for HIV Treatment and Prevention

Mol Ther Nucleic Acids. 2018 Dec 7:13:514-533. doi: 10.1016/j.omtn.2018.09.018. Epub 2018 Sep 29.

Authors

Alexander Falkenhagen¹, Sadhna Joshi²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
² Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. Electronic address: sadhna.joshi.sukhwal@utoronto.ca.

Abstract

Conventional HIV gene therapy approaches are based on engineering HIV target cells that are non-permissive to viral replication. However, expansion of gene-modified HIV target cells has been limited in patients. Alternative genetic strategies focus on generating gene-modified producer cells that secrete antiviral proteins (AVPs). The secreted AVPs interfere with HIV entry, and, therefore, they extend the protection against infection to unmodified HIV target cells. Since any cell type can potentially secrete AVPs, hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic cell lineages can function as producer cells. Secretion of AVPs from non-hematopoietic cells opens the possibility of using a genetic approach for HIV prevention. Another strategy aims at modifying cytotoxic T cells to selectively target and eliminate infected cells. This review provides an overview of the different genetic approaches for HIV treatment and prevention.

Keywords: HIV; antiviral proteins; genetic therapies.

Publication types

Review