SELECTIVE KILLING OF HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS-INFECTED AND -PRODUCING CELLS BY LIPOSOMES CONTAINING DIPHTHERIA TOXIN FRAGMENT A

Abstract

Liposomes containing fragment A of diphtheria toxin killed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-producing MOLT-4 or TALL-1 cells, and HTLV-I-carrying MT-4 cells infected with HIV, but did not kill these cells when they were not infected with HIV. This killing was not affected by the presence of HIV antibodies. These results show that liposomes containing fragment A of diphtheria toxin selectively killed cells expressing HIV antigens or producing the virus in vitro.