Adoptive therapy had been tried before but has failed because scientists have never been able to expand CTLs and maintain their anti-HIV specificity. In addition, the transferred cells tend to die out quickly. Scientists are now investigating methods for making them live longer. AIDS-Infected Cells Committing Molecular Suicide. They have designed proteins that activate the system of programmed cell death known as apoptosis.
Apoptosis is the immune system's way of eliminating unneeded cells.
The large protein designed by the scientists is called caspase 3 and its activation triggers apoptosis. In the test tube, scientists report, the reaction is so quick that all HIV-infected cells die within 10 minutes. It is believed that the same method could be used to eliminate other pathogens that use specific protease actions, such hepatitis C and cytomegalovirus. Pregnancy and Combination Therapy. A Swiss study reported in the December issue of AIDS indicates that most HIV-infected mothers and half of their children receiving combination therapy develop one or more adverse effect.