TREATMENT OF HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS-INFECTED LYMPHOCYTES WITH CATIONIZED HUMAN-IMMUNOGLOBULINS

Hyperimmune immunoglobulins from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-in fected persons may inhibit intracellular viral replication if the HIV immunoglobulins (HIVIG) are delivered to intracellular spaces where th e virus replicates. This study examines the hypothesis that cationized forms of HIVIG undergo enhanced absorptive-mediated endocytosis into cells and inhibit HIV replication. HIVIG and nonimmune human intraveno us immunoglobulin (IVIG) were cationized with hexamethylenediamine to an isoelectric point (pI) >9.5. Cationization markedly increased the b inding and endocytosis of HIVIG and IVIG by human peripheral blood lym phocytes (PBL). Cationized HIVIG and IVIG (250 mu g/mL) resulted in a 90% inhibition in p24 released to the medium in HIV-1-infected human P BL. The study demonstrates that cationization of human immunoglobulin preparations, such as HIVIG and IVIG, markedly increases the endocytos is of immunoglobulin and the inhibition of HIV-1 replication in human PBL.