title: Inhibition of HIV-1 replication in macrophages by red blood cell-mediated delivery of a heterodinucleotide of azidothymidine and 9-(R)-2-(phosphono methoxypropyl)adenine.
abstract: Monocyte-derived macrophages (M/M) are considered important in vivo reservoirs for different kinds of viruses, including HIV. Hence, therapeutic strategies are urgently needed to protect these cells from virus infection or to control viral replication. In this paper, we report the synthesis, target delivery and in vitro efficacy of a new heterodinucleotide (AZTpPMPA), able to inhibit HIV-1 production in human macrophages. AZTpPMPA consists of two established anti-HIV drugs [zidovudine (AZT) and tenofovir (PMPA)] chemically coupled together by a phosphate bridge. This drug is not able to prevent p24 production when administered for 18 h to M/M experimentally infected with HIV-1 Bal (inhibition 27%), but can almost completely suppress virus production when given encapsulated into autologous erythrocytes (inhibition of p24 production 97%). AZTpPMPA is slowly converted to PMPA, AZT monophosphate and AZT (36 h half-life at 37 degrees C) by cell-resident enzymes. Thus AZTpPMPA should be considered a new prodrug of AZT and PMPA that is able to provide stechiometric amounts of both nucleoside analogues to macrophage cells and to overcome the low phosphorylating activity of M/M for AZT and the modest permeability of PMPA.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università di Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy. frapa@camserv.unicam.it
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Franchetti
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cappellacci
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pasqualini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grifantini
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Balestra
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Forbici
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Perno
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Serafini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Magnani
mesh_terms: D000225:Adenine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D054306:Dideoxynucleotides; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D004355:Drug Stability; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000821:virology*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: C477800:(P(1)-thymidine-3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxyriboside-5')-P(2)-(9-2-(phosphonomethoxypropyl)adenine); D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D054306:Dideoxynucleotides; D015215:Zidovudine; D000225:Adenine