Important note: Information in this article was accurate in February 1999. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.AIDSWEEKLY Plus; Monday, February 15, 1999
Daniel J. DeNoon, Senior Editor
It has become painfully clear that highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimens cannot eradicate HIV infection because the virus hides out in resting T cells. Many workers in the field have suggested that eradication would be possible if these resting cells could be activated all at once in the presence of potent antiretroviral drugs.
J. Prins, M. Van Praag, and colleagues at the University of Amsterdam, Netherlands, attempted to perform this feat of immune therapy. Their idea was to give a recombinant human cell-activation cytokine (interleukin 2 or rhIL-2) and a mouse monoclonal antibody specific for the CD3 T cell receptor (OKT3) to three patients maintaining undetectable viral loads while on HAART.
"The regimen induced profound T-cell activation," Prins said in a report to the 6th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, held January 31-February 4, 1999, in Chicago, Illinois.
Unfortunately, the IL-2 proved extremely toxic: one patient had temporary renal failure and seizures. Moreover, all of the patients soon developed antibodies to OKT3.
Latently infected cells remained detectable in one patient but became undetectable in the other two. It is too soon to draw any definitive conclusions from this finding, reported by Prins in a late- breaker session at the end of the conference.
"This encourages exploration of alternative methods of virus activation," he said.
990215
AW990213
Copyright © 1999 - Charles Henderson, Publisher. All rights Reserved. Permission to reproduce granted to AEGIS by Charles W. Henderson. Authorization to reproduce for personal use granted granted by C. W. Henderson, Publisher, provided that the fee of US$4.50 per copy, per page is paid directly to the Copyright Clearance Center, 27 Congress Street, Salem, Massachusetts 01970, USA. Published by Charles Henderson, Publisher. Editorial & Publishing Office: P.O. Box 5528, Atlanta, GA 30307-0528 / Telephone: (800) 633-4931; Subscription Office: P.O. Box 830409, Birmingham, AL 35283-0409 / FAX: (205) 995-1588 http://www.newsrx.net
AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, iMetrikus, Inc., the National Library of Medicine, and donations from users like you. Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 1999. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1990, 2000. AEGiS & the Sisters of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of ĘGIS, or the party credited as the provider of the content.