PROCESS FOR SELECTIVELY MODULATING THE EXPRESSION AND FUNCTION OF A CELL-SURFACE DETERMINANT AND PRODUCTION OF NOVEL HUMAN CELLS PRODUCED THEREBY

摘要

This invention is directed to a process for inhibiting infection in humans by selectively modulating the expression of a specific cell-surface determinant, namely, the CD4 molecule on human cells, with a chemical agent. The chemical agent is a ganglioside composition which induces the rapid and selective disappearance of CD4 cell-surface determinants from human cells. By selectively modulating the expression and function of the CD4 cell-surface determinant, employing a ganglioside composition which induces the rapid and selective disappearance of the CD4 cell-surface determinants from human cells, the point of attachment and entry into the T-helper cell for viruses which infect the human cells through the CD4 cell-surface determinants, such as HIV, is eliminated, and the receptivity of these human cells is inhibited, without inhibiting other cell-surface determinants.