Gene therapy for HIV infection

The ultimate goal of gene therapy for HIV-1 is to inhibit viral replication and the resultant AIDS pathogenesis. Gene therapy for HIV-1 requires the introduction of genes that effectively inhibit viral replication by blocking expression of viral genes or altering the normal function of HIV-1 associated proteins. This review details the various anti-HIV-1 gene therapy strategies that have been developed to effectively inhibit HIV-1 replication. The review covers three broad categories: i) gene therapy using nucleic acid moieties such as gene vaccines, antisense DNA/RNA, RNA decoys, and ribozymes; ii) protein approaches such as trans-dominant negative proteins and single chain antibodies; and iii) immunotherapy using HIV-1 specific cytotoxic T cells. The discussion focuses on the effectiveness of the various techniques in preclinical experiments and in animal models. Also, the status of all of the current RAC/FDA approved clinical protocols for anti-HIV-1 gene therapy strategies is reviewed.