HIV-RESISTANT STEM CELLS AND USES THEREOF
Disclosed are recombinant stem cells that are resistant to HIV infection. Also disclosed are their uses in treating AIDS.
1 . A method for treating a human subject having, or at risk of having, an HIV infection, the method comprising obtaining human umbilical cord blood cells containing a first RNAi agent that represses the expression of CCR5 and a second RNAi agent that represses the expression of CXCR4; administering to a human subject in need thereof an effective amount of the umbilical cord blood cells.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is a baby born of a mother that has an HIV infection.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the umbilical cord blood cells are autologous to the subject.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the umbilical cord blood cells are obtained by a process comprising transiently transferring into the cells (1) the first RNAi agent or a first nucleic acid encoding the first RNAi agent and (2) the second RNAi agent or a second nucleic acid encoding the second RNAi agent.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the process further comprising introducing into the cells a recombinant nucleic acid encoding a selectable marker protein, and enriching the cells expressing the selectable marker protein.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the umbilical cord blood cells further contain a third RNAi agent that repress the expression of a gene selected from the group consisting of CD4, HIV-1 gag, HIV-1 vif, HIV-1 tat, and HIV-1 rev.
7 . An isolated human umbilical cord blood cell that contains a first RNAi agent that represses the expression of CCR5 and a second RNAi agent that represses the expression of CXCR4.
8 . A method for treating a human subject having, or at risk of having, an HIV infection, the method comprising obtaining human stem cells containing a first RNAi agent that represses the expression of CCR5 and a second RNAi agent that represses the expression of CXCR4; administering to a human subject in need thereof an effective amount of the stem cells.
9 . An isolated human stem cell that contains a first RNAi agent that represses the expression of CCR5 and a second RNAi agent that represses the expression of CXCR4.
10 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the subject is a baby born of a mother that has an HIV infection.
11 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the umbilical cord blood cells are autologous to the subject.
12 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the subject is a baby born of a mother that has an HIV infection.
13 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the umbilical cord blood cells are autologous to the subject.
14 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the subject is a baby born of a mother that has an HIV infection.
15 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the umbilical cord blood cells are autologous to the subject.
16 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the subject is a baby born of a mother that has an HIV infection.
17 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the umbilical cord blood cells are autologous to the subject.