title: Qualitative and quantitative intravaginal targeting: key to anti-HIV-1 microbicide delivery from test tube to in vivo success.
abstract: The past decade has seen several effective anti-HIV-1 agent discoveries, yet microbicides continue to disappoint clinically. Our review expounds the view that unsatisfactory microbicide failures may be a result of inefficient delivery systems employed. We hereby propose a thorough scientific qualitative and quantitative investigation of important aspects involved in HIV-1 transmission as a prerequisite for microbicide delivery. Intravaginal targeting of HIV-1 increases the chances of microbicide success, wherein vaginal microenvironmental factors including pH should be maintained at HIV-1 prohibitive acidic levels simultaneously to ward off other sexually transmitted diseases, which compromise vaginal epithelial barrier properties. Furthermore, choice of receptors to target both on HIV-1 and on target cells is vital in deterring transmission. Appropriate modeling of virus-target cell interactions as well as targeting early stages of the HIV-1 infection accompanied by computation and delivery of appropriate microbicide quantities could revolutionize microbicide research, ultimately delivering a female-controlled HIV-1 prevention modality appropriately.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Parktown, 2193 Johannesburg, South Africa. viness.pillay@wits.ac.za
authors.forename: Viness
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pillay
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mashingaidze
authors.forename: Yahya E
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Choonara
authors.forename: Lisa C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Du Toit
authors.forename: Eckhart
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Buchmann
authors.forename: Vinesh
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Maharaj
authors.forename: Valence M K
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Ndesendo
authors.forename: Pradeep
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D014621:Vagina / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents