Immunotoxin May Help Eradicate Latent HIV Reservoir -- HIV/AIDS INFO AND UPDATES

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Date Posted: 22:07:19 02/28/02 Thu
Author: Anonymous
Subject: Immunotoxin May Help Eradicate Latent HIV Reservoir

Immunotoxin May Help Eradicate Latent HIV Reservoir

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Feb 18 - An anti-CD45RO immunotoxin can kill latently infected T cells isolated from HIV-positive patients, according to a report published in the February 1st issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases. Such a treatment might help eliminate the viral reservoir that remains despite successful treatment with antiretroviral therapy.

Dr. Ellen S. Vitetta, from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, and colleagues had previously shown that the immunotoxin could destroy latently infected T cells in vitro (see Reuters Health report October 7, 1999). In the current study, the researchers wanted to determine if the immunotoxin could kill latently infected T cells in blood samples from patients with or without detectable plasma viremia.

In samples from both groups of patients, the anti-CD45RO immunotoxin destroyed latently infected cells as well as HIV-producing cells. In contrast, CD4+ CD45RA+ na ve T cells and a proportion of memory T cells, which demonstrated low CD45RO expression, were spared.

Few therapeutic strategies have been aimed at destroying latently infected cells, the authors point out. While the current findings suggest one possible approach, further studies are needed to evaluate the toxic effects of immunotoxin therapy. Based on phase I trial results in lymphoma patients, the most common adverse event could be manifestations of the vascular leak syndrome.

J Infect Dis 2002;185:306-314.

Reuters Health Information 2002. � 2002 Reuters Ltd
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