title: Antiviral efficacy and toxicity of ribavirin and foscarnet each given alone or in combination in the murine AIDS model.
abstract: The antiviral efficacy and toxicity of ribavirin, foscarnet (PFA), and combinations of both drugs at two different doses have been evaluated in the murine AIDS (MAIDS) model. Our results clearly demonstrated that infected mice treated with ribavirin at 100 mg/ kg/day were protected against splenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, and hypergammaglobulinemia whereas PFA alone at 180 or 360 mg/kg/day did not afford any protection. Treatment with drug combinations showed protective effects similar to those observed with ribavirin alone. Hyperplasia and deorganization of the lymphoid architecture were noted in spleen and lymph nodes of infected mice compared to those of the uninfected group. However, treatment with ribavirin restored the lymphoid tissue architecture and reduced the emergence of germinal centers. Electron microscopic examination of renal cortex of animals treated with PFA at 360 mg/kg/day revealed clear mitochondrial necrosis (bursting of mitochondria) of the distal tubules and vacuolization of the proximal tubules which was more striking with combination therapy. Regarding hematotoxicity, PFA did not cause significant hematotoxicity at both doses, whereas ribavirin was hematotoxic at both doses (50 and 100 mg/kg/day), this toxicity being more evident at the higher dose. In conclusion, treatment with ribavirin showed clear efficacy against MAIDS whereas PFA had no efficacy. Furthermore, ribavirin treatment caused hematoxicity and PFA treatment resulted in nephrotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie, Faculté de Médecìne, Unìversìté Laval, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Omar
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Harvie
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gourde
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Désormeaux
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tremblay
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Beauchamp
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bergeron
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017245:Foscarnet / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006403:Hematologic Tests; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D016183:Murine Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D017245:Foscarnet; D012254:Ribavirin