Mismatched double-stranded RNA (polyI-polyC12U) is synergistic with multiple anti-HIV drugs and is active against drug-sensitive and drug-resistant HIV-1 in vitro

Although highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) is successful in the treatment of HIV infection, problems with toxicity, drug-resistant variants, and therapeutic failures have compromised the long-term utility of existing combination regimens. Mismatched double-stranded RNA (polyl-polyC(12)U) is an immune modulator with inherent anti-HIV activity. Cell toxicities and anti-HIV activities of fourteen anti-HIV agents were determined alone and in combination with polyI-polyC(12)U. Combination analyses for anti-HIV activity were performed at three drug ratios. Using Mixed Dose Effect analyses and the CalcuSyn for Windows software package, combination indeces were determined for all drug combinations. In general, polyI-polyC(12)U was synergistic in combination with abacavir, zidovudine, zalcitabine, didanosine, stavudine, efavirenz, indinavir, ritonavir, nelfinavir, and amprenavir. It was synergistic to antagonistic with lamivudine, delavirdine, nevirapine, and saquinavir. Thus, polyI-polyC(12)U is synergistic with most anti-HIV agents at most drug ratios and across most effective concentrations in vitro, although, certain members of each class were exceptions. PolyI-polyC(12)U alone was equally active against wild-type HIV and HIV resistant to nevirapine, protease inhibitors, or nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors. These results suggest that polyI-polyC(12)U should be re-evaluated as a potential adjunct therapy in patients who have failed current anti-retroviral therapeutic regimens. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.