Method and compositions for conferring resistance to retroviral infection.

摘要

In accordance with the present invention, a method of conferring resistance to retroviral infection upon a host cell is disclosed. The method involves transforming the host cell with a vector comprising a polynucleotide directing transcription within the host cell of RNA which (a) is complementary or homologous to a nucleic acid sequence within one or more gene coding regions within the genome of said retrovirus, and (b) is effective to inhibit replication of the retrovirus when the host cell is infected. A method of treatment using cells upon which resistance to infection has been conferred is also disclosed. Nucleic acid constructs including a polynucleotide as previously described are also disclosed. The construct can include a vector as previously described. Cells upon which resistance to infection has been conferred by the above-described methods and their progeny are also disclosed. The progeny of the originally transformed cells "contain a sequence which is descendant from" the polynucleotide previously described. RNA molecules directed by the polynucleotide are also disclosed. Such molecules are (a) being complementary or homologous to a nucleic acid sequence within the genome of a retrovirus, and (b) being effective to inhibit replication of said retrovirus. Finally, conferring resistance to infection by the above-discribed methods using a synthetic polynucleotide which is complementary or homologous to a nucleic acid sequence within one or more gene coding regions within the genome of the retrovirus and is effective to inhibit replication of said retrovirus.