AIDSWEEKLY Plus; Monday, June 6, 2005
Staff Medical Writers

"Most HIV-1 infections are acquired through sexual contact. In the absence of a preventive vaccine, the development of topical microbicides that can block infection at the mucosal tissues is needed," wrote C. Lorin and colleagues, Institute Pasteur.

"Dermaseptin S4 (DS4) is an antimicrobial peptide derived from amphibian skin, which displays a broad spectrum of activity against bacteria, yeast, filamentous fungi, and herpes simplex virus type 1. We show here that DS4 inhibits cell-free and cell-associated HIV-1 infection of P4-CCR5 indicator cells and human primary T lymphocytes.

"The peptide is effective against R5 and X4 primary isolates and laboratory-adapted strains of HIV-1. Its activity is directed against HIV-1 particles by disrupting the virion integrity. Increasing the number of DS4-positive charges reduced cytotoxicity without affecting the antiviral activity," the authors reported.

"The modified DS4 inhibited HIV-1 capture by dendritic cells and subsequent transmission to CD4+ T cells, as well as HIV-1 binding on HEC-1 endometrial cells and transcytosis through a tight epithelial monolayer," the investigators concluded.

Lorin and colleagues published their findings in Virology (The antimicrobial peptide Dermaseptin S4 inhibits HIV-1 infectivity in vitro. Virology. 2005 Apr 10;334(2):264-75.

Additional information can be obtained by contacting F. Tangy, Institute Pasteur, CNRS, URA 1930, Unite Virus Lents, 28 Rue Dr. Roux, F-75015 Paris, France.

The publisher of the journal Virology can be contacted at: Academic Press Inc. Elsevier Science, 525 B St., Ste. 1900, San Diego, CA 92101-4495, USA.

Keywords: Paris, France, Antimicrobials, Dermaseptin S4, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, HIV, Microbicide, Microbicides, Virology.

This article was prepared by AIDS Weekly editors from staff and other reports.

Reference

Lorin C, Saidi H, Belaid A, et al., The antimicrobial peptide dermaseptin S4 inhibits HIV-1 infectivity in vitro, Virology. 2005 Apr 10;334(2):264-75.

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