Universitéde Montreal

Gary Pignac-Kobinger

Eric A Cohen

Dominique Bergeron

Florent Checroune

Xiao-Jian Yao

The present invention relates to a Vpr protein, a Vpx protein or fragments thereof which permit the development of chimeric molecules that can be specifically targeted into the mature HIV-1 and HIV-2 virions to affect their structural organization and/or functional integrity, thereby resulting in gene therapy for HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections. The present invention also relates to Vpr/Vpx protein Fragments, p6 protein, p6 protein fragment, or functional derivatives thereof which interfere with the native Vpr/Vpx incorporation into HIV-1 and HIV-2 virions. The present invention also relates to treatment of HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections based on the proteins of the present invention.

Protein targeting into HIV virions based on HIV-1 VPR fusion molecules

The present invention relates to a Vpr protein, a Vpx protein or fragments thereof which permit the development of chimeric molecules that can be specifically targeted into the mature HIV-1 and HIV-2 virions to affect their structural organization and/or functional integrity, thereby resulting in gene therapy for HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections. The present invention also relates to Vpr/Vpx protein fragments, p6 protein, p6 protein fragment, or functional derivatives thereof which interfere with the native Vpr/Vpx incorporation into HIV-1 and HIV-2 virions. The present invention also relates to treatment of HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections based on the proteins of the present invention.

Expression vectors encoding recombinant proteins comprising a VPR/VPX

The present invention is directed toward chimeric human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and 2 (HIV-1 and -2) proteins that are capable of being incorporated into the virion when expressed in trans. These chimeric proteins consist of a first portion comprising an HIV-1 or HIV-2 Vpr/Vpx virion incorporation domain which includes the predicted N-terminal alpha helix. This domain is capable of interacting with the p6 domain of the Pr55.sup.gag. The second portion of the chimera comprises a sequence containing RNase activity, protease activity, or a domain capable of inhibiting virion morphogenesis and assembly. The disclosed invention provides a chimera that affects the structural organization or functional integrity of the mature virion by enzymatic disturbance or steric hindrance of the virion.

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Montreal, Canada

Gary Pignac-Kobinger