MazF-T

MazF-T (also known as MT-855) is an autologous cell-based gene therapy developed for the treatment of HIV-1 infection. The therapy involves extracting CD4+ T cells from an HIV-infected patient and transducing them with a retroviral vector carrying the gene for MazF, an ACA-sequence-specific endoribonuclease originally derived from *Escherichia coli*. The expression of MazF is regulated by a Tat-dependent system, ensuring the enzyme is only produced in the presence of the HIV-1 Tat protein—essentially limiting MazF activity to cells that have been infected with HIV. Once expressed, MazF cleaves HIV-1 RNA at its numerous ACA sites, thereby inhibiting viral replication and protecting the engineered T cells from viral cytopathicity. This strategy aims to provide a stable population of HIV-resistant T cells in the patient, potentially reducing viral load and restoring immune function.

Other names

MazF-transduced CD4+ T cellsMazF-expressing CD4+ T cellsMazF-modified T cells