Section Review: Biologicals & Immunologicals: Intracellular antibodies for HIV-1 gene therapy

Abstract

In this review we describe the design and application of a novel intracellular antibody approach against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Intracellular antibodies, termed ‘intrabodies’, are targeted to subcellular compartments of a cell genetically modified with engineered antibody genes in order to inactivate the function of a target protein within the cell. In recent studies, anti-HIV-1 intrabodies have been targeted to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to block HIV-1 envelope transport and function, and to the cytoplasm and nucleus to inactivate the functions of Tat, Rev, or other viral proteins which are vital to HIV-1 replication. The effective blockage of HIV-1 infection by intrabodies indicates that this novel approach can be used for gene therapy against HIV-1 and other diseases.

Key Words:

• Intracellular antibody/HIV-1/gene therapy