Abstract
A potential new approach for gene therapy against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection is the design of a nonstructural gene-based virion-specific inhibitory molecule that is packaged with virus to destroy its infectivity. We tested this approach for HIV-1 by using Vpx, a virion-associated protein of HIV-2 and simian immunodeficiency virus. Vpx was incorporated into HIV-1 virions and the resulting cell-free virus lost infectivity in CD4+ human T cells. This demonstrates the therapeutic potential of an accessory gene-based virion-specific inhibitory molecule. Vpx and its derivatives can be regarded as a new class of anti-HIV-1 molecule.
Publication types
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / therapy*
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming / genetics
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Base Sequence
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Cell Line
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Chlorocebus aethiops
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Gene Products, vpr / genetics*
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Genes, Viral
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Genes, vif
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Genes, vpr
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Genetic Therapy*
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Genome, Viral*
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HIV Reverse Transcriptase
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HIV-1 / enzymology
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HIV-1 / genetics*
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HIV-1 / physiology
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Humans
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Oligodeoxyribonucleotides
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Plasmids
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RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / isolation & purification
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RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / metabolism
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Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
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Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / genetics
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Simian virus 40 / genetics
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T-Lymphocyte Subsets / microbiology
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T-Lymphocytes / microbiology*
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Transfection
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Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins / genetics*
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Virion / enzymology
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Virion / genetics*
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Virion / physiology
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vpr Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Substances
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Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming
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Gene Products, vpr
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Oligodeoxyribonucleotides
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VPX protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 2
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VPX protein, Simian immunodeficiency virus
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Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins
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vpr Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
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HIV Reverse Transcriptase
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RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase