title: Evaluation of the anti-HIV activity of statins.
abstract: Recent data suggest that statins block HIV-1 replication, which may have important implications for an alternative treatment for AIDS. We tested different statins in cell culture against HIV and conducted a pilot study in HIV-positive patients receiving simvastatin. No anti-HIV activity was detected at subtoxic concentrations and simvastatin did not induce a significant change in the mean viral load or CD4 cell count in study patients. We caution on the use of statins as antiretroviral agents.
authors.affiliation: Retrovirology Laboratory IrsiCaixa and HIV Unit, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, 08916 Badalona, Spain.
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moncunill
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Negredo
authors.forename: Lluís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bosch
authors.forename: Jaume
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vilarrasa
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Witvrouw
authors.forename: Anuska
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Llano
authors.forename: Bonaventura
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Clotet
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Esté
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D002784:Cholesterol; D019821:Simvastatin