Anti-HIV ribozymes in the inhibition of HIV and AIDS

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a lentivirus, a separate genus of the Retroviridae which are RNA viruses that integrate as DNA copies into the genomes of host cells and replicate intracellularly. The genomic RNA as well as several of the RNA intermediates can be targeted by ribozymes. We and others have demonstrated the ability of ribozymes to suppress HIV replication in cultured cells. The use of ribozyme gene therapy for the treatment of HIV infection may act as an adjunct to chemotherapeutic drugs affecting not just viral suppression, but also immune restoration. This approach is currently being tested in Clinical Trials.