AN ASSAY SYSTEM TO DETECT THE SELECTIVE ADVANTAGE OF ANTI-HIV RIBOZYME EXPRESSING CD4⁺ T-LYMPHOCYTES

Abstract

This study was undertaken to establish an assay system to detect the survival advantage of anti-HIV ribozyme expressing cells under the selective pressure of HIV infection. In a mixture with wild type cells the proportion of ribozyme expressing cells was increased up to 12-fold. As a mechanism of the selective advantage an inhibition of HIV induced apoptotic cell death could be demonstrated. Furthermore, a dose dependency of the antiviral ribozyme effects was observed.

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