Inhibition of murine AIDS by combination of AZT and dideoxycytidine 5'-triphosphate

A combination of antiretroviral drugs acting on different cell types (lymphocytes and macrophages) was evaluated in a murine retrovirus-induced immunodeficiency model of AIDS (MAIDS). In a first experiment, C57BL/6 mice were infected with a single i.p. administration of LP-BM5 and treated with 0.125 or 0.25 mg/ml AZT in drinking water for 3 months. AZT treatment was found to reduce lymphadenopathy (60 and 65%, respectively), splenomegaly (37 and 50%, respectively), and hypergammaglobulinemia (6 and 50%, respectively). Furthermore, at the highest AZT concentration, BM5d proviral DNA content in lymph nodes and in the spleen showed a reduction of 78 and 70%, respectively, compared to untreated animals. in a second experiment, infected mice were treated with AZT (0.25 mg/ml in drinking water) and with 2',3'-dideoxycytidine 5'-triphosphate (ddCTP) encapsulated into autologous erythrocytes for macrophage protection. Combined treatments resulted in a further reduction of lymphadenopathy (a further 33% with respect to the single treatment of AZT) and splenomegaly (a further 28% respect to the single treatment of AZT) but not of gammaglobulinemia. Proviral DNA in lymph nodes and spleen showed a reduction of 82 and 77%, respectively, compared to infected mice. Stimulation index of T cells was also significantly increased in animals receiving both treatments versus AZT only. In conclusion, the selective administration of antiviral drugs that preferentially protect different cell types seems to provide additional advantages compared to single-agent therapy.