Garry Nolan

Publication Details

• Motexafin gadolinium (Gd-Tex) selectively induces apoptosis in HIV-1 infected CD4+ T helper cells.

  Perez OD, Nolan GP, Magda D, Miller RA, Herzenberg LA, Herzenberg LA. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002; 99 (4): 2270-4

  Here, we show that motexafin gadolinium (Gd-Tex), a compound that promotes intracellular oxidative stress, selectively induces apoptosis in HIV-1-infected CD4(+) T cells in IL-2-stimulated cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells infected in vitro with HIV-1. This selective induction of apoptosis, which we detect by FACS analysis of intracellular HIV/p24 and concomitant surface and apoptosis marker expression, is abrogated by the glutathione precursor, N-acetyl-l-cysteine. Importantly, it occurs at Gd-Tex concentrations that are not cytotoxic to uninfected cells in the culture. These findings suggest that Gd-Tex may have therapeutic utility as an anti-HIV agent capable of selectively targeting and removing HIV-infected cells in an infected host.

  PubMedID: 11854523