title: Fuchsin acid selectively inhibits human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication in vitro.
abstract: Fuchsin acid, an anionic dye, is a selective inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and type 2 (HIV-2) in vitro. Its 50% effective dose for inhibition of HIV-1-induced cytopathogenicity in MT-4 cells and HIV-1 antigen expression in HUT-78 cells is 42 and 16 microM, respectively. These values are comparable to those of suramin, the first compound shown to be a selective inhibitor of HIV-1. However, fuchsin acid is less cytotoxic than suramin. The selectivity index of fuchsin acid, based on the ratio of the 50% cytotoxic dose to the 50% effective dose, is greater than 74 in MT-4 cells and greater than 39 in HUT-78 cells. Fuchsin acid is a much weaker inhibitor of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase than are suramin and aurintricarboxylic acid. Fuchsin acid does not interfere with the adsorption of HIV-1 particles to MT-4 cells even at concentrations that completely block HIV-1 replication in MT-4 cells. The mechanism of action of fuchsin acid remains subject of further study.
authors.affiliation: Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baba
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schols
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pauwels
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Balzarini
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Clercq
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D015367:Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; C027071:new fuchsin