Scientific Abstract 
16.0 Scientific Abstract 
The HIV-1 Rev protein is encoded by a fully spliced viral 
mRNA synthesized early in virus infection and required for 
productive HIV replication (23) . Rev facilitates the cytoplasmic 
appearance of unspliced viral mRNAs and plays a role in the 
regulation of virus latency (24,25). Mutations in a well- 
conserved leucine rich domain of Rev give rise to a defective 
protein that acts as a transdorainant inhibitor of HIV 
replication, which could provide a potential anti-HIV therapy. 
In this study, we will evaluate the efficacy of intracellular 
inhibition of HIV infection with a with mutant form of Rev, M10. 
We will introduce the rev M10 gene into peripheral blood CD4 + T 
cells. CD4 + cells will be genetically modified in patients using 
either (a.) a retroviral vector or (b.) a non-viral vector. In 
each case, a control vector identical to the Rev M10 expression 
vector but with a frameshift that inactivates gene expression 
will be used to transduce a parallel population of CD4 + cells. 
These cells will be returned to the patient, and the survival of 
the cells in each group compared by limiting dilution PCR. In 
this way, we will determine whether Rev M10 can prolong the 
survival of CD4® cells in AIDS patients, thus conferring 
. . ^ 
protection against HIV infection. 
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Recombinant DNA Research, Volume 18 
