Elimination of HIV-infected cells by lymphocytes armed with a bifunctional antibody to gp120 of HIV and CD3.

The T-cell receptor (TCR) can acquire a new antigen binding site by treatment with a bifunctional antibody (BFA) prepared with mAb against a specified antigen and an epitope of the TCR. Lymphocytes armed with BFA directed to CD3 and an HIV antigen were able to eliminate all HIV antigen-positive cells during incubation with a mixture of HIV-infected and uninfected cells. HIV antigen-positive cells even from persistently infected cells were undetectable with immunofluorescence staining although HIV genes were detectable by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification indicating that only dormantly infected or low producer cells, if any, survived. This suggests that HIV antigen-positive cells could be eliminated by administration of BFA-armed lymphocytes leaving HIV patients with only dormantly infected or low producer cells.