Transient protection of human T-cells from human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection by transduction with adeno-associated viral vectors which express RNA decoys

RNA decoys are oligonucleotides corresponding to the TAR and RRE sequences of HIV which inhibit the HIV-encoded regulatory proteins Tat and Rev, respectively. Adeno-associated viral vectors encoding RNA decoys stably transduced into the human T-cell line CEM-SS expressed transactivating region (TAR) and Rev-responsive element (RRE) RNA decoys from tRNA polIII promoters at high levels, without any apparent deleterious effects on cell growth or expression of CD4. DNA blot analysis indicated that RNA decoy-encoding vectors were not rearranged and were integrated into the genomic DNA of selected cell lines. Vector DNA with the appropriate TAR and RRE sequences was isolated from transduced cell lines after prolonged growth in culture, further confirming that the vector DNA was present in a stable form through multiple cell cycles. Cell lines expressing TAR and RRE decoys transiently inhibited HIV gene expression and replication by 70-99% as determined by measurement of intracellular and extracellular HIV p24 production. Adeno-associated vectors encoding RNA decoys may be useful for gene therapy of HIV infection.