scholarly journals A Peptide-Based HIV-1 Fusion Inhibitor with Two Tail-Anchors and Palmitic Acid Exhibits Substantially Improved In Vitro and Ex Vivo Anti-HIV-1 Activity and Prolonged In Vivo Half-Life

Molecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 1134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shan Su ◽  
Giselle Rasquinha ◽  
Lanying Du ◽  
Qian Wang ◽  
Wei Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Palmitic Acid ◽  
Half Life ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Fusion Inhibitor ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
Further Development ◽  
Anti Hiv ◽  
Hiv 1

Enfuvirtide (T20) is the first U.S. FDA-approved HIV fusion inhibitor-based anti-HIV drug. Its clinical application is limited because of its low potency and short half-life. We previously reported that peptide HP23-E6-IDL, containing both N- and C-terminal anchor-tails, exhibited stronger potency and a better resistance profile than T20. Here we designed an analogous peptide, YIK, by introducing a mutation, T639I, and then a lipopeptide, YIK-C16, by adding palmitic acid (C16) at the C-terminus of YIK. We found that YIK-C16 was 4.4- and 3.6-fold more potent than HP23-E6-IDL and YIK against HIV-1IIIB infection and 13.3- and 10.5-fold more effective than HP23-E6-IDL and YIK against HIV-1Bal infection, respectively. Consistently, the ex vivo anti-HIV-1IIIB activity, as determined by the highest dilution-fold of the serum causing 50% inhibition of HIV-1 infection, of YIK-C16 in the sera of pretreated mice was remarkably higher than that of YIK or HP23-E6-IDL. The serum half-life (t1/2 = 5.9 h) of YIK-C16 was also significantly longer than that of YIK (t1/2 = 1.3 h) and HP23-E6-IDL (t1/2 = 1.0 h). These results suggest that the lipopeptide YIK-C16 shows promise for further development as a new anti-HIV drug with improved anti-HIV-1 activity and a prolonged half-life.

scholarly journals Polyethylene Glycol 40-Modified Peptide with High Therapeutic Efficacy in Simian-Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Acutely Infected Rhesus Monkeys

2020 ◽  
Vol 94 (14) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mingli Li ◽  
Shuihong Cheng ◽  
Yibo Ding ◽  
Chen Wang ◽  
Yong Feng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Half Life ◽  
Rhesus Monkeys ◽  
Glycosylation Site ◽  
Control Treatment ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Anti Hiv ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT Anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (anti-HIV-1) fusion peptides have been studied for nearly 2 decades, but few candidates have found useful clinical applications. One factor underlying the failure of such agents to reach the clinic is their poor pharmacokinetic properties, and many efforts have been made to overcome this problem. In this study, we modified C34, a peptide inhibitor of HIV-1 fusion, at its conserved glycosylation site using polyethylene glycols (PEGs) of different molecular weights. PEG40-NC, a conjugate of C34 and branched PEG 40 kDa (PEG40), which has been previously shown to improve the pharmacokinetic profiles of proteins, showed a significantly extended half-life (t1/2; 10.39 h in rats), which compensated for decreased in vitro activity (50% effective concentration [EC50] of 18.51 nM). PEG40-NC also showed a mechanism of action similar to that of C34. PEG40-NC monotherapy in acutely simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV)-infected rhesus monkeys significantly suppressed viral load compared with a control treatment. Efficacy was linked to the extended half-life and lymphatic exposure conferred by attached PEG40. These results highlight the potential of further clinical investigations of PEG40-NC in combination with antiretroviral therapy or other anti-HIV agents. IMPORTANCE Poor pharmacokinetics have severely hindered the clinical use of anti-HIV peptides. Different small molecules, such as lipid, cholesterol, and small PEG, were designed to modify peptides to improve their pharmacokinetics. In this study, we incorporated large branched PEG to anti-HIV peptide and obtained a conjugate with extended half-life and improved in vivo efficacy. The strategy we developed in this study can also be applicable for the development of other peptide candidates.

scholarly journals In Vitro and In Silico Antioxidant, Anti-Diabetic, Anti-HIV and Anti-Alzheimer Activity of Endophytic Fungi, Cladosporium uredinicola Phytochemicals

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 13-34
Author(s):  
Melappa Govindappa ◽  
V. Thanuja ◽  
S. Tejashree ◽  
C.A. Soukhya ◽  
Suresh Barge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Method ◽  
Cholinesterase Activity ◽  
Methanol Extract ◽  
High Binding Energy ◽  
Acetyl Cholinesterase ◽  
Gp 120 ◽  
Anti Hiv ◽  
Hiv 1

The present work was aimed to identify phytochemicals in C. uredinicola methanol extract from qualitative, TLC and GC-MS method and evaluated for antioxidant, anti-HIV, anti-diabetes, anti-cholinesterase activity in vitro and in silico. The C. uredinicola extract showed flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, glycosides, phenols, terpenoids, and coumarins presence in qualitative method. From GC-MS analysis, identified seven different phytochemicals and out of seven, four (coumarin, coumarilic acid, hymecromone, alloisoimperatorin) are coumarins. The C. uredinicola extract have shown significant antioxidant activity in DPPH (73) and FRAP (1359) method. The HIV-1 RT (83.81+2.14), gp 120 (80.24+2.31), integrase (79.43+3.14) and protease (77.63+2.14), DPPIV, β-glucosidase and acetyl cholinesterase activity was significantly reduced by the extract. The 2-diphenylmethyleneamino methyl ester had shown significant interaction with oxidant and HIV-1 proteins whereas alloisoimperatorin have interacted with diabetes and cholinesterase proteins followed by hymecromone with high binding energy. These three phytochemicals are non-carcinogens, non-toxic, readily degradable and have drug likeliness properties. The C. uredinicola phytochemicals are responsible for management of diabetes, HIV-1 and Alzheimer. Further in vivo work is needed to justify our research.

scholarly journals Native CGRP Neuropeptide and Its Stable Analogue SAX, But Not CGRP Peptide Fragments, Inhibit Mucosal HIV-1 Transmission

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jammy Mariotton ◽  
Anette Sams ◽  
Emmanuel Cohen ◽  
Alexis Sennepin ◽  
Gabriel Siracusano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Receptor Activation ◽  
Humanized Mice ◽  
Peptide Fragments ◽  
Cgrp Receptor ◽  
Trans Infection ◽  
Anti Hiv ◽  
Hiv 1

BackgroundThe vasodilator neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) plays both detrimental and protective roles in different pathologies. CGRP is also an essential component of the neuro-immune dialogue between nociceptors and mucosal immune cells. We previously discovered that CGRP is endowed with anti-viral activity and strongly inhibits human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection, by suppressing Langerhans cells (LCs)-mediated HIV-1 trans-infection in-vitro and mucosal HIV-1 transmission ex-vivo. This inhibition is mediated via activation of the CGRP receptor non-canonical NFκB/STAT4 signaling pathway that induces a variety of cooperative mechanisms. These include CGRP-mediated increase in the expression of the LC-specific pathogen recognition C-type lectin langerin and decrease in LC-T-cell conjugates formation. The clinical utility of CGRP and modalities of CGRP receptor activation, for inhibition of mucosal HIV-1 transmission, remain elusive.MethodsWe tested the capacity of CGRP to inhibit HIV-1 infection in-vivo in humanized mice. We further compared the anti-HIV-1 activities of full-length native CGRP, its metabolically stable analogue SAX, and several CGRP peptide fragments containing its binding C-terminal and activating N-terminal regions. These agonists were evaluated for their capacity to inhibit LCs-mediated HIV-1 trans-infection in-vitro and mucosal HIV-1 transmission in human mucosal tissues ex-vivo.ResultsA single CGRP intravaginal topical treatment of humanized mice, followed by HIV-1 vaginal challenge, transiently restricts the increase in HIV-1 plasma viral loads but maintains long-lasting higher CD4+ T-cell counts. Similarly to CGRP, SAX inhibits LCs-mediated HIV-1 trans-infection in-vitro, but with lower potency. This inhibition is mediated via CGRP receptor activation, leading to increased expression of both langerin and STAT4 in LCs. In contrast, several N-terminal and N+C-terminal bivalent CGRP peptide fragments fail to increase langerin and STAT4, and accordingly lack anti-HIV-1 activities. Finally, like CGRP, treatment of human inner foreskin tissue explants with SAX, followed by polarized inoculation with cell-associated HIV-1, completely blocks formation of LC-T-cell conjugates and HIV-1 infection of T-cells.ConclusionOur results show that CGRP receptor activation by full-length CGRP or SAX is required for efficient inhibition of LCs-mediated mucosal HIV-1 transmission. These findings suggest that formulations containing CGRP, SAX and/or their optimized agonists/analogues could be harnessed for HIV-1 prevention.

Lactoferrin nanoparticles coencapsulated with curcumin and tenofovir improve vaginal defense against HIV-1 infection

Nanomedicine ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samrajya Lakshmi Yeruva ◽  
Prashant Kumar ◽  
Seetharam Deepa ◽  
Anand K Kondapi
Keyword(s):  
Physicochemical Characterization ◽  
Systemic Circulation ◽  
Application Site ◽  
Drug Nanoparticles ◽  
In Vivo Experiments ◽  
Hiv Microbicide ◽  
Anti Hiv ◽  
Hiv 1

Aim: We report here the development of tenofovir- and curcumin-loaded lactoferrin nanoparticles (TCNPs) as an HIV-microbicide. Materials & methods: TCNPs were subjected to various physicochemical characterization experiments, followed by in vitro and in vivo experiments to assess their efficacy. Results: TCNPs had a diameter of 74.31 ± 2.56 nm with a gross encapsulation of more than 61% for each drug. Nanoparticles were effective against HIV-1 replication, with an IC50 of 1.75 μM for curcumin and 2.8 μM for tenofovir. TCNPs provided drug release at the application site for up to 8–12 h, with minimal leakage into the systemic circulation. TCNPs showed spermicidal activity at ≥200 μM and induced minimal cytotoxicity and inflammation in the vaginal epithelium as revealed by histopathological and ELISA studies. Conclusion: We demonstrated that TCNPs could serve as a novel anti-HIV microbicidal agent in rats. [Formula: see text]

scholarly journals Modeling HIV-1 Latency Using Primary CD4+ T Cells from Virally Suppressed HIV-1-Infected Individuals on Antiretroviral Therapy

2019 ◽  
Vol 93 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Takata ◽  
Cari Kessing ◽  
Aaron Sy ◽  
Noemia Lima ◽  
Julia Sciumbata ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Viral Reactivation ◽  
Hiv Latency ◽  
Cell Models ◽  
Hiv Cure ◽  
Hiv Reservoirs ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT The low frequency of latently HIV-infected cells in vivo limits the testing of potential HIV cure strategies using cells from successfully suppressed individuals. To date, primary cell models of latency use cells infected in vitro. Primary CD4+ T cell models carrying an individual’s endogenous HIV reservoir that recapitulate in vivo conditions of HIV latency are still outstanding. We developed a primary CD4+ T cell model of HIV latency derived from memory CD4+ T cells isolated from virally suppressed HIV-infected individuals that recapitulates HIV-1 latency and viral reactivation events. This model is based on the expansion of primary CD4+ T cells up to 300-fold in cell number. These cells reestablish a resting state without active virus production after extended culture and maintain a stable number of total HIV proviruses. The ability of these cells to respond to various classes of latency-reversing agents is similar to that of ex vivo CD4+ T cells directly isolated from blood. Importantly, viral outgrowth assays confirmed the ability of these expanded cells to produce replication-competent endogenous virus. In sum, this model recapitulates ex vivo viral reactivation conditions, captures the variability between individuals with different HIV reservoirs, and provides large numbers of cells for testing multiple agents from a single donor. The use of this novel model will allow accurate exploration of novel cure approaches aimed either at promoting viral reactivation or maintaining sustained latency. IMPORTANCE Primary cell models of HIV latency have been very useful to identify mechanisms contributing to HIV latency and to evaluate potential HIV cure strategies. However, the current models utilize in vitro infection with exogenous virus that does not fully recapitulate virus reactivation profiles of endogenous HIV in in vivo-infected CD4+ T cells. In contrast, obtaining sufficient amounts of CD4+ T cells from HIV-infected individuals to interrogate the HIV reservoir in vitro requires leukapheresis. In the model we propose here, in vitro expansion and extended culture of primary CD4+ T cells isolated from virally suppressed HIV-infected individuals enable obtaining large numbers of cells harboring endogenous latent HIV reservoirs without performing leukapheresis. This model captures the variability of HIV reservoirs seeded in different individuals and should be useful to evaluate future HIV cure strategies.

scholarly journals Efficient Therapeutic Delivery by a Novel Cell-Penetrating Peptide Derived from Acinus

Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 1858
Author(s):  
Justine Habault ◽  
Claire Fraser ◽  
Ewa Pasquereau-Kotula ◽  
Maëlys Born-Bony ◽  
Anne Marie-Cardine ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Clinical Settings ◽  
Aspartic Acid Residue ◽  
Circulating Cells ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
Cell Penetrating ◽  
Endocytosis Pathway ◽  
Cancerous Cells

In this study, we have identified a novel cell-penetrating sequence, termed hAP10, from the C-terminus of the human protein Acinus. hAP10 was able to efficiently enter various normal and cancerous cells, likely through an endocytosis pathway, and to deliver an EGFP cargo to the cell interior. Cell penetration of a peptide, hAP10DR, derived from hAP10 by mutation of an aspartic acid residue to an arginine was dramatically increased. Interestingly, a peptide containing a portion of the heptad leucine repeat region domain of the survival protein AAC-11 (residues 377–399) fused to either hAP10 or hAP10DR was able to induce tumor cells, but not normal cells, death both ex vivo on Sézary patients’ circulating cells and to inhibit tumor growth in vivo in a sub-cutaneous xenograft mouse model for the Sézary syndrome. Combined, our results indicate that hAP10 and hAP10DR may represent promising vehicles for the in vitro or in vivo delivery of bioactive cargos, with potential use in clinical settings.

scholarly journals Structure-Based Design and Engineering of a Nontoxic Recombinant Pokeweed Antiviral Protein with Potent Anti-Human Immunodeficiency Virus Activity

2003 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 1052-1061 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatih M. Uckun ◽  
Francis Rajamohan ◽  
Sharon Pendergrass ◽  
Zahide Ozer ◽  
Barbara Waurzyniak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Scid Mouse ◽  
Pokeweed Antiviral Protein ◽  
Antiviral Protein ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Scid Mouse Model ◽  
Anti Hiv ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT A molecular model of pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP)-RNA interactions was used to rationally engineer FLP-102(151AA152) and FLP-105(191AA192) as nontoxic PAPs with potent anti-human immunodeficiency virus (anti-HIV) activities. FLP-102 and FLP-105 have been produced in Escherichia coli and tested both in vitro and in vivo. These proteins depurinate HIV type 1 (HIV-1) RNA much better than rRNA and are more potent anti-HIV agents than native PAP or recombinant wild-type PAP. They are substantially less toxic than native PAP in BALB/c mice and exhibit potent in vivo activities against genotypically and phenotypically nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-resistant HIV-1 in a surrogate human peripheral blood lymphocyte (Hu-PBL) SCID mouse model of human AIDS. Rationally engineered nontoxic recombinant PAPs such as FLP-102 and FLP-105 may provide the basis for effective salvage therapies for patients harboring highly drug-resistant strains of HIV-1. The documented in vitro potencies of FLP-102 and FLP-105, their in vivo antiretroviral activities in the HIV-infected Hu-PBL SCID mouse model, and their favorable toxicity profiles in BALB/c mice warrant the further development of these promising new biotherapeutic agents.

scholarly journals Factors Important to the Prioritization and Development of Successful Topical Microbicides for HIV-1

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen W. Buckheit ◽  
Robert W. Buckheit
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Sexual Transmission ◽  
Virus Transmission ◽  
Preclinical Development ◽  
Sexual Transmission Of Hiv ◽  
The Right ◽  
Hiv 1

Significant advancements in topical microbicide development have occurred since the prevention strategy was first described as a means to inhibit the sexual transmission of HIV-1. The lack of clinical efficacy of the first generation microbicide products has focused development attention on specific antiretroviral agents, and these agents have proven partially successful in human clinical trials. With greater understanding of vaginal and rectal virus infection, replication, and dissemination, better microbicide products and delivery strategies should result in products with enhanced potency. However, a variety of development gaps exist which relate to product dosing, formulation and delivery, and pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics which must be better understood in order to prioritize microbicide products for clinical development. In vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo models must be optimized with regard to these development gaps in order to put the right product at the right place, at the right time, and at the right concentration for effective inhibition of virus transmission. As the microbicide field continues to evolve, we must harness the knowledge gained from unsuccessful and successful clinical trials and development programs to continuously enhance our preclinical development algorithms.

scholarly journals Long-Acting HIV-1 Fusion Inhibitory Peptides and their Mechanisms of Action

Viruses ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 811 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chen Wang ◽  
Shuihong Cheng ◽  
Yuanyuan Zhang ◽  
Yibo Ding ◽  
Huihui Chong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Half Life ◽  
Mechanisms Of Action ◽  
Effective Concentration ◽  
Fusion Inhibitor ◽  
Inhibitory Peptides ◽  
Long Acting ◽  
Peg Chain Length ◽  
Plasma Half Life ◽  
Anti Hiv ◽  
Hiv 1

The clinical application of HIV fusion inhibitor, enfuvirtide (T20), was limited mainly because of its short half-life. Here we designed and synthesized two PEGylated C34 peptides, PEG2kC34 and PEG5kC34, with the PEG chain length of 2 and 5 kDa, respectively, and evaluated their anti-HIV-1 activity and mechanisms of action. We found that these two PEGylated peptides could bind to the HIV-1 peptide N36 to form high affinity complexes with high α-helicity. The peptides PEG2kC34 and PEG5kC34 effectively inhibited HIV-1 Env-mediated cell–cell fusion with an effective concentration for 50% inhibition (EC50) of about 36 nM. They also inhibited infection of the laboratory-adapted HIV-1 strain NL4-3 with EC50 of about 4–5 nM, and against 47 HIV-1 clinical isolates circulating in China with mean EC50 of PEG2kC34 and PEG5kC34 of about 26 nM and 32 nM, respectively. The plasma half-life (t1/2) of PEG2kC34 and PEG5kC34 was 2.6 h and 5.1 h, respectively, and the t1/2 of PEGylated C34 was about 2.4-fold and 4.6-fold longer than C34 (~1.1 h), respectively. These findings suggest that PEGylated C34 with broad-spectrum anti-HIV-1 activity and prolonged half-life can be further developed as a peptide fusion inhibitor-based long-acting anti-HIV drug for clinical use to treat HIV-infected patients who have failed to respond to current anti-retrovirus drugs.

Structural determinants of virion assembly and release in the C-terminus of the M-PMV capsid protein

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marlene V. Buckmaster ◽  
Kaneil K. Zadrozny ◽  
Barbie K. Ganser-Pornillos ◽  
Owen Pornillos ◽  
Stephen P. Goff
Keyword(s):  
Capsid Protein ◽  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Structural Determinants ◽  
Particle Assembly ◽  
Gag Protein ◽  
Virion Assembly ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
Hiv 1

The transition from an immature to a fully infectious mature retrovirus particle is associated with molecular switches that trigger dramatic conformational changes in the structure of the Gag proteins. A dominant maturation switch that stabilizes the immature capsid lattice is located downstream of the capsid (CA) protein in many retroviral Gags. The HIV-1 Gag contains a stretch of five amino acid residues termed the ‘clasp motif’, important for the organization of the hexameric subunits that provide stability to the overall immature HIV-1 shell. Sequence alignment of the CA C-terminal domains (CTDs) of the HIV-1 and Mason-Pfizer Monkey Virus (M-PMV) highlighted a spacer-like domain in M-PMV that may provide comparable function. The importance of the sequences spanning the CA-NC cleavage has been demonstrated by mutagenesis, but the specific requirements for the clasp motif in several steps of M-PMV particle assembly and maturation have not been determined in detail. In the present study we report an examination of the role of the clasp motif in the M-PMV life cycle. We generated a series of M-PMV Gag mutants and assayed for assembly of the recombinant protein in vitro , and for the assembly, maturation, release, genomic RNA packaging, and infectivity of the mutant virus in vivo . The mutants revealed major defects in virion assembly and release in 293T and HeLa cells, and even larger defects in infectivity. Our data identifies the clasp motif as a fundamental contributor to CA-CTD interactions necessary for efficient viral infection. Importance The C-terminal domain of the capsid protein of many retroviruses has been shown to be critical for virion assembly and maturation, but the functions of this region of M-PMV are uncertain. We show that a short ‘clasp’ motif in the capsid domain of the M-PMV Gag protein plays a key role in M-PMV virion assembly, genome packaging, and infectivity.

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