title: Pharmacological inhibition of infectivity of HTLV-III in vitro.
abstract: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a pandemic immunosuppressive disease that predisposes to life-threatening opportunistic infections and unusual forms of neoplasms. A recently discovered member of the human T-lymphotrophic virus (HTLV) family, designated HTLV-III, has been shown to be the etiological agent of AIDS. We have shown previously that a trypanosomicidal drug, suramin, can block the in vitro infectivity and cytopathic effect of HTLV-III at doses that are attainable in human beings. In the present work we report our findings that suramin can block the cytopathic effect of HTLV-III even after a defined exposure of the target helper/inducer T-cells to the virus and that the T-cells protected by suramin remain immunologically functional.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mitsuya
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsushita
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Broder
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002999:Clone Cells; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral / Q000187:drug effects; D017977:Deltaretrovirus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D013498:Suramin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007136:Immunoglobulins; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid; D013498:Suramin