Inhibition of HIV-1 replication by newly developed adamantane-containing polyanionic agents

Newly developed antiviral compounds consisting of an adamantane derivative chemically linked to a water-soluble polyanionic matrix were shown to inhibit HIV-1 infection in lymphoblastoid cells, HeLa CD4 + beta-galactosidase (MAGI) cells and macrophages. The effect of the compounds was recorded by measuring viral reverse transcriptase activity and p24 by ELISA in culture supernatant and by immunoblotting of cell lysates. In this paper we describe the data obtained with one of the most promising compounds, Amant. Amant was not toxic for the host cells at concentrations as high as 1 mg/ml. The inhibition of HIV-1 replication in MT-4 and MAGI cells was observed when Amant was added either before infection or with the virus (0 h of infection), and was expressed even when the compound added at 0 h was removed 1.5 h after infection. Its inhibitory concentration (IC50) against HIV-1 and HIV-2 replication was 2-6 and 93 mu g/ml, respectively. The anti-HIV-1 effect of the compound was gradually decreased when it was added 1 and 2 h post infection, and no inhibition was observed when the compound was added 4 h after infection, suggesting that the compound as a membranotropic drug blocks an early step of replication. It completely prevented the transport of Gag proteins into the nuclei. Pretreatment of the virus with Amant did not reduce its infectious activity. The classical adamantane derivatives amantadine and rimantadine hydrochloride did not inhibit HIV replication. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.