Methods for treating hiv infected subjects

A method for selectively enriching a population of T cells in TH2 cells in vitro comprising

• a) contacting a population of T cells with:
• (1) an agent which provides a primary activation signal to the T cells thereby activating the T cells, wherein the agent is selected from the group consisting of an anti-CD3 antibody or a CD3-binding fragment thereof, an anti-CD2 antibody or a CD2-binding fragment thereof, and an antigen in a form suitable to trigger a primary activation signal in the T cell when complexed with the TCR/CD3 complex;
• and
• (2) a stimulatory form of a natural ligand of CD28 selected from the group consisting of B7-1, a CD28-binding fragment of B7-1, B7-2, and a CD28-binding fragment of B7-2, such that the T cells are stimulated to proliferate and produce at least one TH2 cytokine,
• thereby enriching the population of T cells in TH2 cells.

A method for increasing the proportion of TH1 versus TH2 cells in a population of T cells, comprising:

• a) contacting the population of T cells with:
• (1) an agent which provides a primary activation signal to the T cells thereby activating the T cells, wherein the agent is selected from the group consisting of an anti-CD3 antibody or a CD3-binding fragment thereof, an anti-CD2 antibody or a CD2-binding fragment thereof, and an antigen in a form suitable to trigger a primary activation signal in the T cell when complexed with the TCR/CD3 complex;
• and
• (2) an anti-CD28 antibody or a CD28-binding fragment thereof, wherein the anti-CD28 antibody or a CD28-binding fragment is attached on a surface,
• thereby increasing the proportion of TH1 versus TH2 cells in the population of T cells compared to the proportion of TH1 versus TH2 cells in a population of T cells not contacted with an agent which provides a primary activation signal to the T cells and an anti-CD28 antibody or a CD28-binding fragment thereof.