Life span of circulating membrane CD4 inserted into the plasma membranes of autologous red blood cells of HIV-infected subjects

Red blood cells with electroinserted recombinant CD4 T cells circulated for at least 28 days without immune response or side effects in four HIV-infected patients. This is an improvement over the time period for soluble CD4. Blood measurements were unchanged by insertion of rCD4. One of the subjects showed a large increase of CD4 cells, but with a corresponding decline in CD8 cells. CD4 apparently needs a membrane for a longer life span in order to prevent the virus from moving around and attaching to cells that produce HIV. This could prove to be a valuable therapeutic approach in the treatment of AIDS.