title: Glutathione and N-acetylcysteine suppression of human immunodeficiency virus replication in human monocyte/macrophages in vitro.
abstract: Glutathione (GSH), its derivatives and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) inhibit the induction of HIV-1 expression in a chronically HIV-1-infected promonocytic cell line (U1/HIV) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). We have examined the effects of GSH and NAC on HIV-1 replication in human primary monocyte/macrophages cultured in vitro. Ficoll-gradient purified human monocytes were cultivated in vitro for 7-10 days and then infected with HIV-1 (Bal and Ada-M). Infection was blocked or substantially reduced by GSH or NAC (5-20 mM). Significant reduction (greater than or equal to 90%) in the amount of virus released, as determined by measuring supernatant reverse transcriptase activity and secreted p24 protein, was obtained when the cells were treated for 4 h with greater than or equal to 10 mM of GSH or NAC. The inhibitory effects of GSH and NAC were concentration dependent. This anti-HIV-1 effect persisted in these cultures for at least 35 days without evidence of significant increase in HIV-1 expression. Thus, a single pulse exposure of HIV-1-infected monocyte/macrophages with GSH or NAC led to a sustained, concentration-dependent decrease in HIV-1 p24 antigen levels, as well as, reverse transcriptase activity without producing detectable cellular toxicity in monocyte/macrophages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia.
authors.forename: W Z
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Douglas
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005978:Glutathione / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008264:Macrophages / Q000382:microbiology*; D009000:Monocytes / Q000382:microbiology*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D005978:Glutathione; D000111:Acetylcysteine