Acyclovir against HIV in coinfected with HSV

The research team determine how the drug acyclovir antiherpes restrict HIV replication in people coinfected with herpes simplex virus (HSV). This is according to a report published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe edition of 11 September 2008.

Over the last 15 years, there are times when the scientists reported that AIDS patients who take acyclovir for herpes treatment also appeared to have a survival advantage and reduction in HIV levels, compared to the HIV / HSV is not taking acyclovir. However, until now researchers doubt that acyclovir affect HIV replication directly. Conversely, because acyclovir can reduce the inflammation of the immune system by lowering the level of herpes virus, the experts assumed that this reduction also lowers the number of active CD4 cells that are targets of HIV infection.



Andrea Lisco, MD, PhD from the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, and colleagues suspected that acyclovir may indeed have anti-HIV activity directly, at least in cells also infected with herpes virus. Their expectations based on the workings of acyclovir.

In order acyclovir can be incorporated into a new herpes virus formed - thus stopping the replication of the virus - the first drug to bind to molecules of phosphorus aided by enzymes called herpes virus thymidine kinase. Dr. Lisco and colleagues argue that acyclovir can act against HIV only when they have been attached to the phosphorus molecules, a process called phosphorylation that can only occur in cells infected with herpes thymidine kinase enzyme.

Lisco team initially examined the impact of aciclovir on HIV-infected cells or not infected with herpes. They confirm that HIV reproduction was decreased only in cells infected with herpes. The next step in their research done, they added acyclovir have made laboratory phosphorylated. Berfosforilasi acyclovir have to act against HIV even in cells that do not co-infected with herpes.

The researchers argue that treating people co-infected with HIV and herpes with acyclovir treatment of HIV and could eliminate the possibility of HIV transmission, a conclusion which had been conveyed by other research teams. They also commented that further research should be conducted with various forms to determine whether acyclovir acyclovir may contribute to the combination anti-HIV therapy (HAART).