Immunotherapy for HIV infection using engineered hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells

In this project, we tested if a long-term immunotherapy strategy can be a functional cure of HIV infection. We used two T cell receptors that enhance the HIV-specific T cell responses. We found that engineered hematopoeitic stem/progenitor cells can suppress HIV infection in mice for up to 32 weeks without anti-retroviral therapy. While we achieved long-term suppression of virus, it was modest, and led to viral evolution that may be a precursor to escape from therapy. Our results suggest that multiple T cell receptors may be needed for substantial viral control. Potential next steps include testing similar immunotherapy approaches in Rhesus Macaques as well as combining multiple immunotherapy strategies.