5-hydroxy-2--deoxycytidine and HIV-Infections

Lethal mutagenesis, a new antiviral strategy to extinguish virus through elevated mutation rates, was explored in H61-D cells an HIV-1 persistently infected lymphoid cell line. Three mutagenic agents: 5-hydroxy-2(')-deoxycytidine (5-OHdC), 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and 2,2(')-difluoro-2(')-deoxycytidine (gemcitabine) were used. After 54 passages, treatments with 5-FU and gemcitabine reduced virus infectivity, p24 and RT activity. Treatment with the pyrimidine analog 5-OHdC resulted in increases of p24 production, RT activity and infectivity. Rise in viral replication by 5-OHdC during HIV-1 persistence is in contrast with its inhibitory effect in acute infections. Viral replication enhancement by 5-OHdC was associated with an increase in intracellular HIV-1 RNA mutations. Mechanisms of HIV-1 replication enhancement by 5-OHdC are unknown but some potential factors are discussed. Increase of HIV-1 replication by 5-OHdC cautions against the use, without previous analyses, of mutagenic nucleoside analogs for AIDS treatment.

Topics: Cell Line; Deoxycytidine; Fluorouracil; Gemcitabine; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; Mutagens; Mutation; Mutation Rate; RNA, Viral; Virus Replication

Mutagenic treatments resulted in occasional, not systematic, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) extinction. To study the possibility that a combination of an antiretroviral inhibitor, to reduce the viral replicative load, and a mutagenic agent could be more effective in producing viral extinction than a mutagenic agent alone, we have compared the efficiency of extinction of HIV-1 by the mutagenic deoxyribonucleoside analogue 5-hydroxydeoxycytidine (5-OHdC) alone and in combination with the HIV-1 nucleoside reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitor AZT. Serial passages in peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMC) or MT-4 cells of primary HIV-1 isolates or HIV-1 NL4-3 in the presence of a single drug (AZT 0.01 microM or 5-OHdC 2 mM) failed to systematically extinguish high fitness HIV-1 replication after 16 serial transfers. However, systematic extinction of HIV-1 was observed when a combination of the mutagenic agent 5-OHdC and AZT was used. These results demonstrate that combinations of mutagenic agents and antiretroviral inhibitors have the potential to drive HIV-1 into extinction.

Topics: Cell Line; Deoxycytidine; Drug Synergism; Drug Therapy, Combination; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Mutagens; Mutation; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; Virus Replication; Zidovudine