Preparation and characterization of three monoclonal antibodies against HIV-1 p24 capsid protein

HIV4 p24 detection provides a means to aid the early diagnosis of HIV-1 infection, track the progression of disease and assess the efficacy of antiretroviral therapy. In the present study, three monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) p3JB9, p5F1 and p6F4 against HI

The Anti-HIV Actions of 7-and 10-Substituted Camptothecins

Camptothecin (CPT), a traditional anti-tumor drug, has been shown to possess anti-HIV-1 activity. To increase the antiviral potency, the anti-HIV activities of two CPT derivatives, 10-hydroxy-CPT and 7-hydroxymethyl-CPT, were evaluated in vitro. The therapy index (TI) of CPT, 10-hydroxy-CPT and 7-hydroxymethyl-CPT against HIV-1(IIIB) in C8166 were 24.2, 4.2 and 198.1, and against clinical isolated strain HIV-1(KM018) in PBMC were 10.3, 3.5 and 66.0, respectively. While the TI of CPT, 10-hydroxy-CPT and 7-hydroxymethyl-CPT against HIV-2(CBL-20) were 34.5, 10.7 and 317.0, respectively, and the TI of the three compounds against HIV-2(ROD) showed the similar values. However, when the antiviral mechanisms were considered, we found there was no inhibition of 7-hydroxymethyl-CPT on viral cell-to-cell transmission, and was no inhibition on reverse transcriptase, protease or integrase in cell-free systems. 7-Hydroxymethyl-CPT showed no selective killing of chronically infected cells after 3 days of incubation. In conclusion, 7-hydroxymethyl-CPT showed more potent anti-HIV activity, while 10-hydroxy-CPT had less efficient activity, compared with the parent CPT. Though the antiviral mechanisms remain to be further elucidated; the modification of -OH residues at C-7 of CPT could enhance the antiviral activity, while of -OH residues at C-10 of CPT had decreased the antiviral activity, which provides the preliminary modification strategy for anti-viral activities enhancement of this compound.

High prevalence of HIV-1 and hepatitis C virus coinfection among injection drug users in the southeastern region of Yunnan, China

The southeastern region of Yunnan province is a key site for drug trafficking and HIV-1 infection spread from the west of Yunnan and Laos to southeastern China. To investigate the prevalence of HIV-1 infection and hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection among injection drug users (IDUs) in southeastern Yunnan, three cohorts of 285 addicts, including 242 IDUs and 43 oral drug users, living in the cities of Gejiu and Kaiyuan and the county of Yanshan were studied. HIV-1 and HCV infections were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and/or polymerase chain reaction. Data on the age, sex, risk behavior, drug use history, employment, ethnic background, and marriage status were obtained by interview. The overall prevalence of HIV-1 infection was 71.9%. The rate of HCV coinfection among 138 HIV-1-infected IDUs was 99.3%. Most HIV-infected IDUs were 20 to 35 years old (86.7%) and were ethnic Han (75.9%), suggesting that the epidemic in Yunnan is no longer confined to non-Han ethnic minorities, HIV prevalence in female IDUs (81.2%) was significantly higher than in male IDUs (68.2%) (p <.05). The prevalence of HIV infection reached 68.4% after 1 year of injection drug use. Needle/syringe sharing is the major high risk factor for the spread of HIV-1 and HCV infections. Large-scale educational campaigns are urgently needed to reduce the spread of HIV and HCV infection in these regions.

N-(间硝基苯磺酰)-6-甲基吲哚体外抗HIV 活性及作用机制研究

本论文对12个N-（取代苯磺酰）吲哚类化合物体外抗HIV活性进行了初步筛选，并选择其中活性最好的化合物N-（间硝基苯磺酰）-6-甲基吲哚，对其抗HIV 活性及作用机制进行深入研究。一、体外检测了12个N-（取代苯磺酰）吲哚类化合物对C8166和MT-4细胞的毒性、对HIV-1IIIB 感染C8166后诱导的合胞体形成的抑制及对HIV-1IIIB感染MT-4 细胞后的保护作用。结果发现多个化合物具有抑制HIV-1复制活性，特别是化合物N-（间硝基苯磺酰）-6-甲基吲哚，其对HIV-1IIIB诱导的合胞体形成的EC50和TI （Therapy index）值分别为0.26 μg/ml和543.78；对HIV-1IIIB急性感染的MT-4细胞也有很好的保护作用（TI值为104.23)。二、选择活性最强的化合物N-（间硝基苯磺酰）-6-甲基吲哚进行深入的抗 HIV活性研究。在细胞水平上，通过观察致感染细胞病变和HIV-1 p24抗原表达抑制实验（ELISA方法），采用3类多株HIV病毒株（实验株、临床分离株、耐药株）和3类多种细胞（人T淋巴细胞传代株、HIV-1慢性感染人T淋巴细胞株、人外周血单个核细胞）对化合物进行体外抗HIV活性进行系统评价，实验结果表明，化合物对不同来源的HIV-1病毒株都显示出很好抗HIV活性。同时，我们也研究了化合物抗HIV-2活性，发现该化合物并不能抑制HIV-2在C8166细胞中复制。三、在细胞毒性实验上，我们检测了N-（间硝基苯磺酰）-6-甲基吲哚对不同的细胞系和人外周血单个核细胞（PBMC）毒性作用，结果显示化合物的细胞毒性较低。四、在作用机制和靶点研究上，检测了化合物对感染与未感染细胞之间融合的抑制、对HIV-1急性感染C8166细胞及对HIV-1慢性感染H9细胞（H9/HIV-1IIIB）中病毒复制的阻断作用。结果显示，N-（间硝基苯磺酰）-6-甲基吲哚对急性感染细胞有很好抑制作用（EC50为0.52 μg/ml）；但对感染与未感染细胞的融合（EC50为 46.40 μg/ml）和慢性感染H9细胞中病毒的复制没有抑制作用（EC50大于100 μg/ml）。提示化合物作用于HIV侵入细胞后到HIV DNA整合前这一阶段。其后对HIV-1逆转录酶活性的抑制情况进行了分析，发现N-（间硝基苯磺酰） -6-甲基吲哚对HIV-1逆转录酶（RT）有很好抑制作用。五、构效关系分析。我们对12 个N-（取代苯磺酰）吲哚类化合物进行了初步的构效关系研究，发现在N-benzenesulfonyl 环上连接一个吸电子基团(nitro group)比供电子基团(methyl group)有更强的抗HIV 活性，但当在indoles 环上连接吸电子基团(nitro group)，抗HIV 活性反而受到抑制。以上实验数据显示N-（间硝基苯磺酰）-6-甲基吲哚是一个安全有效的抗 HIV-1 候选化合物，具有进一步研究价值。

High-throughput synergy screening identifies microbial metabolites as combination agents for the treatment of fungal infections

The high mortality rate of immunocompromised patients with fungal infections and the limited availability of highly efficacious and safe agents demand the development of new antifungal therapeutics. To rapidly discover such agents, we developed a high-throughput synergy screening (HTSS) strategy for novel microbial natural products. Specifically, a microbial natural product library was screened for hits that synergize the effect of a low dosage of ketoconazole (KTC) that alone shows little detectable fungicidal activity. Through screening of approximate to 20,000 microbial extracts, 12 hits were identified with broadspectrum antifungal activity. Seven of them showed little cytotoxicity against human hepatoma cells. Fractionation of the active extracts revealed beauvericin (BEA) as the most potent component, because it dramatically synergized KTC activity against diverse fungal pathogens by a checkerboard assay. Significantly, in our immunocompromised mouse model, combinations of BEA (0.5 mg/kg) and KTC (0.5 mg/kg) prolonged survival of the host infected with Candida parapsilosis and reduced fungal colony counts in animal organs including kidneys, lungs, and brains. Such an effect was not achieved even with the high dose of 50 mg/kg KTC. These data support synergism between BEA and KTC and thereby a prospective strategy for antifungal therapy.