title: Sensitive and rapid assay on MT-4 cells for detection of antiviral compounds against the AIDS virus.
abstract: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection of MT-4 cells, an HTLV-I-transformed T-cell line, proved to be a rapid and sensitive assay system for the detection of potential antiviral drugs effective against the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Four days after HIV inoculation of the MT-4 cells, viral antigen expression was monitored in parallel with indirect immunofluorescence microscopy and laser flow cytofluorography. When 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxythymidine (AzddThd, AZT) and 2',3'-dideoxycytidine (ddCyd) were evaluated under these conditions, they inhibited viral antigen expression at a minimum (33% inhibitory) concentration of 0.0004 and 0.02 microM, respectively. Similar minimum effective concentrations were found for AzddThd and ddCyd in assays where inhibition of viral cytopathogenicity was based on cell survival. While laser flow cytofluorography could be best adapted for quantitative measurements, cell survival and reconstitution of disrupted cell aggregates gave an equally rapid and sensitive endpoint; and the latter may be ideally suited for preliminary drug screening.
authors.affiliation: Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pauwels
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Clercq
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Desmyter
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Balzarini
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Goubau
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Herdewijn
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vanderhaeghe
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vandeputte
mesh_terms: D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006678:HIV / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D013936:Thymidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D016047:Zalcitabine; D015215:Zidovudine
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D015215:Zidovudine; D016047:Zalcitabine; D013936:Thymidine