Smikodoub Alexander, Pilipchak Elena
Cell Therapy Clinic of National Medical University and Embryonic Tissue Center "EmCell"

The objective of investigation was to study the influence of human embryonic liver cell suspensions transplantation on the number of CD4+ lymphocytes in HIV- infected patients with different initial CD4+ level.

Immunotherapy by cell suspensions was performed in 34 patients with different stadiums of the disease advancement. The general group consisted of 25 men of the average age 38 years old (from 27 to 54 years old) and 6 women of the average age 30 years old (from 23 to 41). Lymphocytes with CD4+ phenotype were tested before and after the transplantation - in one, two, four and eight weeks. The analysis considered the initial CD4+ level (in the groups with CD4+ >500/mm3, 400-500/mm3, 400-300/mm3, 300-200/mm3, 200-100/mm3, <100/mm3).

The embryonic suspensions were acquired with the conventional method from abortive cadaverous material. The gestation breaking was only by voluntary reasons of the women. All the donors were healthy women, tested for the viral infections prior to abortion. The informed consent was received from all the study participants; disunity of patient and doctor, performing abortion, donor and recipient was always ensured to pre- vent any commercialization and stimulation of women to make the abortion.

In all the analyzed groups the statistically significant increasing of CD4+ was achieved in two weeks after a single infusion of hemopoietic cells (p<0.03 in the general group). The best result was achieved in the group with CD4+ 200-300/mm3: in one week CD4+ level rose (p<0.0095) for 35%, in two weeks - for 63% (p<0.008), in four weeks - for 42% (p<0.05).

All the patients endured transplantations of cell suspensions satisfactory, there were no side effects observed. About 30% of the patients noticed the amelioration of general state, sleep, appetite, mood.

Administration of human embryonic liver cell suspensions can be used for the immune substituting therapy in patients with advanced HIV-infection. Strict adherence to ethic principles of the research and treatment is demanded.

Smikodoub Alexander, Pilipchak Elena Treatment of HIV-infection (AIDS) with fetal stem cells. Society for Minimally Invasive Therapy Ninth Annual International Meting 14-16 July 1997, Kyoto, Japan. Minimally Invasive Therapy. 1997, v.5, s.l, p.38.