HIV pre-immunization and immunotherapy
The present invention relates generally to immunization and immunotherapy for the treatment or prevention of HIV. In particular, the methods include in vivo and/or ex vivo enrichment of HIV-specific CD4+ T cells.
1. A lentiviral vector comprising an encoded microRNA cluster, wherein the encoded microRNA cluster comprises a sequence having at least 80% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 31.
2. The lentiviral vector of claim 1 , wherein the encoded microRNA cluster comprises a sequence having at least 85% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 31.
3. A lentiviral particle produced by a packaging cell and capable of infecting a target cell, the lentiviral particle comprising:
a. an envelope protein capable of infecting the target cell; and
b. an encoded microRNA cluster, wherein the encoded microRNA cluster comprises a sequence having at least 80% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 31.
4. The lentiviral particle of claim 3 , wherein the encoded microRNA cluster comprises a sequence having at least 85% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 31.
5. The lentiviral particle of claim 3 , wherein the target cell is a CD4+ T cell.
6. A modified cell comprising a primary T cell infected with a lentiviral particle, wherein the lentiviral particle comprises:
a. an envelope protein capable of infecting the target cell; and
b. an encoded microRNA cluster, wherein the encoded microRNA cluster comprises a sequence having at least 80% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 31.
7. The modified cell of claim 6 , wherein the encoded microRNA cluster comprises a sequence having at least 85% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 31.
8. The modified cell of claim 6 , wherein the primary T cell is a primary CD4+ T cell.
9. A method of treating cells infected with HIV, the method comprising:
a. contacting or having contacted peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) isolated from a subject infected with HIV with a therapeutically effective amount of an ex vivo stimulatory agent, wherein the contacting is conducted ex vivo;
b. transducing or having transduced the PBMC ex vivo with a lentiviral particle, wherein the lentiviral particle comprises:
i. an envelope protein capable of infecting the PBMC; and
ii. an encoded microRNA cluster, wherein the encoded microRNA cluster comprises a sequence having at least 80% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 31;
and
c. culturing or having cultured the transduced PBMC for at least about 1 day.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the encoded microRNA cluster comprises a sequence having at least 85% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 31.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising infusing or having infused the transduced PBMC into a subject.
12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising positively selecting or having positively selected HIV-specific CD4+ T cells from the PBMC.
13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising immunizing or having immunized the subject with an effective amount of an in vivo stimulatory agent, wherein the immunization occurs prior to contacting the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMBC) with the ex vivo stimulatory agent.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein each of the in vivo stimulatory agent and ex vivo stimulatory agent is independently selected from a peptide and a vaccine.