LIFE-SPAN OF CIRCULATING MEMBRANE CD4 INSERTED INTO THE PLASMA-MEMBRANES OF AUTOLOGOUS RED-BLOOD-CELLS OF HIV-INFECTED SUBJECTS

Membrane recombinant CD4 was electroinserted into the plasma membrane of red blood cells (RBCs) from four HIV patients. CD4 had been labeled with I-125 before electroinsertion. The RBCs-CD4-I-125 were labeled w ith Cr-51 and autotransfused to the donor patients. The hematological indexes and the P-50 value of the RBCs were not modified by the electr oinsertion of CD4. The life span of the RBCs was not affected by elect roinsertion of CD4 (t(1/2) similar to 30 days), whereas the exposed CD 4 showed a kinetics of disappearance characterized by two half-life ti mes: a short one (t(1/2) similar to 1 day) and a long one approximatel y equal to that of the RBCs. No side effects or anti-CD4 immune respon ses were observed in patients over a period of 28 days. The RBC-CD4 en tity appears to be long-lived and has no adverse effect in HIV patient s.