Biomedical subjects

L Vrang

Publications and source records attributed to L Vrang.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1990

Screening for new agents.

Screening for new antiviral drugs is concentrated on a search for inhibitors of the human immunodeficiency virus, herpesviruses, influenza virus, hepatitis B virus and rhinovirus. The first step in the process is usually the screening of virus-infected cell cultures followed by secondary screening in infected animals. The relevance of the different screening methods for predicting clinical efficacy is at present uncertain due to the low number of compounds evaluated in double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trials. As a consequence of the con-siderable activity in ongoing research on antiviral drugs the predictive value of the screening systems is expected to improve.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Synergistic inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus replication in vitro by combinations of 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine and 3'-fluoro-3'-deoxythymidine.

The antiviral activity against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 of the two structurally related thymidine analogs azidothymidine and fluorothymidine, both alone and in combination, was tested. Fluorothymidine was tenfold more active than azidothymidine. The selectivity indices of the two compounds were similar. The combination of azidothymidine and fluorothymidine showed clearly synergistic antiviral activity, and diminished cytotoxicity. The inhibition of reverse transcriptase from human immunodeficiency virus type 1 by the triphosphates of azidothymidine and fluorothymidine, both alone and in combination was also tested. Azidothymidine triphosphate was a fourfold stronger inhibitor than fluorothymidine triphosphate. The combination of the two showed only additive (and not synergistic) effects upon reverse transcriptase. The combination of azidothymidine and fluorothymidine showed both synergistic antiviral activity and diminished cytotoxicity, and may therefore represent a promising therapeutic strategy. The additive (and not synergistic) inhibition of reverse transcriptase by the combination of the triphosphates indicates that in cell culture additional factors other than inhibition of the reverse transcriptase by the triphosphates influence the antiviral activity of the combination. Such factors might include effects upon normal nucleoside metabolism or metabolism of the analogs. Alternatively, one of the nucleosides might have an additional mechanism of action besides inhibition of the reverse transcriptase.

Antiviral Agents↗

PubMed1989

Inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus in vitro by combinations of 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine and foscarnet.

We describe a synergistic effect of combinations of foscarnet and 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 multiplication in cell culture, an additive effect of foscarnet and 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine triphosphate against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase, and a low toxicity in cell culture of combinations of the two drugs.

Antiviral Agents↗

PubMed1988

Reverse transcriptases from human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), HIV-2, and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIVMAC) are susceptible to inhibition by foscarnet and 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine triphosphate.

Reverse transcriptases from human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), HIV-2, and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) were investigated with respect to susceptibilities to the reverse transcriptase inhibitors foscarnet and 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine triphosphate (AZTTP). The different reverse transcriptases had the same sensitivity to foscarnet (50% inhibition at 0.10 to 0.16 microM). The Ki values for AZTTP were 0.01 to 0.02 microM for HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and 0.02 to 0.03 microM for HIV-2 and SIVMAC reverse transcriptases.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

Inhibition of the reverse transcriptase from HIV by 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine triphosphate and its threo analogue.

3'-Azido-3'-deoxythymidine triphosphate (erythro) and its threo isomer were synthesized and investigated for their inhibition of HIV reverse transcriptase from virus isolate U 937/HTLV-III. The erythro isomer was a competitive inhibitor of the reaction directed by (rA)n(dT)12-18 and the Ki value was 0.0022 microM. The threo isomer was at least 100-fold less active. The inhibition was specific for dTMP incorporation, and dGMP incorporation using (rC)n(dG)12-18 as template/primer was not affected. The Km value for dTTP varied between 0.7 microM and 1.7 microM. Reverse transcriptase from nine HIV isolates were tested for inhibition by the erythro isomer and only slight differences in sensitivity were observed.

Antiviral Agents↗

PubMed1987

Different patterns of inhibition of avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase activity by 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine 5'-triphosphate and its threo isomer.

The two isomers 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine 5'-triphosphate (erythro-AZT-TP) and 1-(3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxy-beta-D-xylofuranosyl)thymine 5'-triphosphate (threo-AZT-TP) were studied as inhibitors of the reverse transcriptase activity of avian myelobastosis virus. Kinetic analysis of the (rA)n X (dT)12-18 (a standard template primer complex of polyriboadenylate and oligodeoxythymidylate of indicated length)-directed reaction revealed that erythro-AZT-TP was a competitive inhibitor with respect to dTTP, whereas threo-AZT-TP was a noncompetitive inhibitor. The apparent Ki values, as calculated from Dixon plots, were 0.48 and 5.5 microM, respectively, compared with a Km value for dTTP of about 70 microM. These results indicate that erythro-AZT-TP had an approximately 150-times-higher affinity to the enzyme than dTTP had and that the avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase had different binding sites for the two isomers.

Avian Leukosis Virus↗

PubMed1986

PPi analogs as inhibitors of human T-lymphotropic virus type III reverse transcriptase.

Twenty-six PPi analogs were tested for inhibitory effects on human T-lymphotropic virus type III reverse transcriptase. The structural requirements for inhibition and mechanism of action of the most active inhibitors have been investigated. Foscarnet (phosphonoformic acid) was the most potent inhibitor of human T-lymphotropic virus type III reverse transcriptase with 50% inhibition at 0.5 microM. The mechanism was a noncompetitive type of inhibition of a (riboadenylic acid)n . (deoxythymidylic acid)12-18 [(rA)n(dT)12-18]-directed transcription at varied dTTP concentration. At constant substrate (dTTP) concentration and varied amounts of template, (rA)n(dT)12-18, the inhibitory action of foscarnet was of an uncompetitive type. The same pattern of inhibition was seen when the less active inhibitor carbonyldiphosphonate was studied under identical conditions. The structural requirements for inhibition of human T-lymphotropic virus type III reverse transcriptase by PPi analogs were similar to those shown by other reverse transcriptases.

Antiviral Agents↗

PubMed1986

The cordycepin analogue of 2,5A and its threo isomer. Chemical synthesis, conformation and biological activity.

A new synthesis of the cordycepin analogue of 2,5A and its threo isomer is reported along with an assessment of their conformations by circular dichroism spectroscopy. Evidence is also presented showing that these compounds are stable against 2,5A-specific phosphodiesterase and are not able to activate the 2,5A-dependent endoribonuclease, possibly due to a reduced binding to the latter enzyme as compared to that of 2,5A.

Circular Dichroism↗