Ex vivo expansion of CD4 lymphocytes from human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected persons in the presence of combination antiretroviral agents.

Expansion of CD4 lymphocytes from human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected persons ex vivo has been limited by enhanced virus replication and cell death. The successful expansion of functional CD4 lymphocytes from HIV-1-infected persons has now been accomplished using a bispecific monoclonal antibody to CD3 and CD8 in combination with three antiretroviral agents. CD4 lymphocytes were polyclonally expanded by a factor of 10(3)-10(7) during 4-8 weeks in culture. Supernatants from most cultures were persistently HIV-1 p24 antigen-negative by day 14 and remained negative despite removal of antiretroviral agents at day 28. In such cultures, HIV-1 could not be recovered by cocultivation, and amounts of HIV-1 DNA declined or remained stable at low levels, eventually becoming undetectable in 2 cases. This approach establishes the feasibility of CD4 lymphocyte expansion in persons with HIV disease and may be useful for immune-based or gene therapies.