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Introduction: Chemotherapy of HIV infection remains the only means of treating the disease. The process of development new and improving previously developed drugs is therefore considered a priority. One of the preclinical stage of drug efficacy testing is research in the virus-cell model system in vitro ., The Aim: To evaluate the antiviral efficacy of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) 6HP and 3TC during HIV-1 replication in the neoplastic MT-4 cell line., Materials and Methods: Two variants of the CD4 + T-lymphocyte MT-4 cell line (MT-4/1 and MT-4/2) transformed by Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (Retroviridae: Orthoretrovirinae : Deltaretrovirus : HTLV-1 ), with different levels of HIV-1 replication were used. Drugs ammonium-3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine-5'-carbomoylphosphonat (6HP) and 2',3'-dideoxy-3'-thiacytidine (3TC) were used to suppress the virus., Results and Discussion: The replication activity of HIV-1 was observed to be higher in the MT-4/2 line than in the MT-4/1 line for different strains of the virus. The use of each of the substances separately showed a more significant inhibition of viral activity in MT-4/1 than in MT-4/2 cells. When used together, the inhibition level was almost the same in all cases and ranged from 87‒96% for the MT-4/1 line and 83‒89% for the MT-4/2 line. High efficacy was observed when using lower concentrations of drugs compared to individual use., Conclusion: The combined use of NRTIs 6НР and 3TС is promising for the treatment of HIV-infected patients at different stages of infection and with different levels of viral load.

Introduction: The persistence of immune dysfunction during therapy has serious consequences for the health of HIV-infected people. Therefore, an important direction is the search for drugs that can reduce the inflammatory potential of the immune system and serve as an additional component of antiviral therapy. Aim ‒ to study the effect of the immunomodulatory drug Sodium deoxyribonucleate with iron complex (DNA-Na-Fe) on the expression of activation markers in MT-4 cells infected with HIV-1., Materials and Methods: Expression levels of CD4, CD28, CD38, CD62L and HLA-DR proteins on the plasma membrane were measured in cells. To assess viral activity, the p24 protein was quantified by ELISA., Results and Discussion: The two cell variants with different replicative activity were analyzed. Control cells, cells with DNA-Na-Fe, infected cells and infected cells with DNA-Na-Fe were tested. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that antiviral activity of the drug in MT-4 cells infected with HIV-1 is associated with immunomodulatory activity that enhances the expression of membrane proteins CD4, CD28, CD38 and CD62L. Diversity in the effect of DNA-Na-Fe on the studied surface proteins expression in two cell lines indicates that they depend on the characteristics of the combined molecular biological processes occurring in cells. And the increased effects observed in a system with changes in replicative activity assumes its active participation in virus replication at the stages of virus penetration and budding., Conclusion: Studies have shown that DNA-Na-Fe has antiviral and immunomodulatory activity.

As a natural mutation of the human ccr5 gene has been shown to confer resistance to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection, a new avenue has opened in the development of alternative treatment approaches through genome editing. One of the two chemokine co-receptors of the plasma membrane is utilized by HIV-1 to infect CD4 + cells. HIV-1 strains that utilize CCR5 circulate in early infection, and strains that utilize CXCR4 circulate at advanced stages. A complex relationship may exist in the expression regulation of the receptors and may affect virus replication in cells that normally do not express CCR5 on the membrane, such as the MT-4 cell line. MT-4 cells were used to study the effect of ccr5 modification HIV-1 replication in vitro. Genetic modification of ccr5 in MT-4 cells was shown to increase the activities of HIV-1 strains, especially in homozygote. The results indicate that genome editing should be performed with caution in human cells and that the issue needs comprehensive investigation., (© 2023. Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.)

Introduction: The urgent problem of modern medicine is the fight against acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI). To combat ARVI, drugs of wide antiviral potency are needed, as well as immunomodulating drugs. Such antiviral and immunomodulatory effects has sodium deoxyribonucleate (DNA-Na) and its complex with iron (DNA-Na-Fe) developed on the basis of double-stranded DNA of natural origin., Aim of the Study: To assess antiviral and virucidal activity of DNA-Na and DNA-Na-Fe against viruses of different kingdoms and families., Materials and Methods: Antiviral and virucidal activity of DNA-Na and DNA-Na-Fe was assessed in cell cultures infected with viruses., Results and Discussion: DNA-Na and DNA-Na-Fe had antiviral activity against adenovirus at concentrations of 2501000 mcg/ml. Antiviral effect of both drugs was not detected in case of poliovirus. DNA-Na and DNA-Na-Fe had antiviral activity against coronavirus in all administration schemes. EC50 for DNA-Na ~ 2500 mcg/ml, for DNA-Na-Fe ~ 1000 mcg/ml. In cells treated with DNA-Na-Fe, secretion of following proinflammatory cytokines was detected: Interleukin (IL) 1, IL-2, IL-6, IL-18, interferon- (IFN-), IFN-, as well as anti-inflammatory cytokines: IL-4, IL-10, antagonist of IL-1 receptor. Evidently, DNA-Na and DNA-Na-Fe have antiviral effect, but mechanism of action does not seem to be associated with specific effect on viral replication. Presence of virucidal activity of drugs against representatives of Coronaviridae, Adenoviridae, Picornaviridae, Retroviridae, Herpesviridae in vitro test in range of 1.03.0 lg TCID50 was identified., Conclusion: Presence of simultaneous antiviral and virucidal activity of DNA-Na and DNA-Na-Fe against adeno- and coronaviruses shows their prospects for prevention and treatment of ARVI.

Introduction: The important role of integrins (IG) in the initiation and development of cancer processes makes these structures convenient targets for the development of immunomodulatory therapeutic drugs that have an effect directly on these molecules. Among the latter, IG β1, α4 and cell adhesion receptor ICAM-1 (intercellular adhesion molecule 1) are of particular interest. Immunomodulators are capable of changing the IG activity through non-specific mechanisms, which, however, in some cases can cause a decrease in the protective functions of the immune system and health deterioration.The aim of the study was to determine the effect on the levels of cellular expression and the nature of IG metabolism of the drug sodium deoxyribonucleate with ferrum complex, DNA-Na-Fe, which is having been used in the Russian Federation as an immunomodulatory agent, but whose action has not been studied in details so far., Material and Methods: We used 2 variants of the neoplastic CD4+ T-lymphocyte cell line transformed with human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) of the Retroviridae family, MT-4 (MT-4/1 and MT-4/2). The indicated variants were characterized by different levels of expression of the protein activation markers CD28 and CD38. After cell culture in the presence of 500 μg/ml DNA-Na-Fe, the expression levels of IG β1 (CD29), α4 (CD49d), and ICAM-1 (CD54) were studied by flow cytometry., Results: The cells of the both lines contained many membrane proteins CD29+ (90.4% ± 4.5) and CD54+ (97.9% ± 1.4), while small percentage of cells contained protein CD49d+ (1.9% ± 1.0). No changes in the expression of the studied proteins were observed in the presence of the drug., Discussion: The levels of IG β1, α4 and ICAM-1 expression may serve as one of the phenotypic characteristics of MT-4 cells. The obtained data are of great importance because the peculiarities of CD4+ T-lymphocytes transformation and their metabolism during HTLV-1 infection have not been sufficiently studied so far., Conclusion: The results of this work may be helpful in determining the pathogenesis of HTLV-1-induced diseases, some types of malignancies, and in searching for new specific pharmacological agents, including molecularly targeted ones. The results of the study will help to expand the existing knowledge on the markers of MT-4 cell line.

Introduction: One of the most urgent problem of modern medicine is the fight against the disease caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) - HIV infection. The chemical compounds have improved the situation for infected people, but they are toxic, disrupt the metabolism and cannot eliminate the integrated virus from the body. The emergence of resistant HIV strains makes these treatments ineffective. Often, the death of HIV-infected people occurs as a result of the development of opportunistic infections caused by viruses of the Herpesviridae family. Therefore, the search for new therapeutic and preventive drugs that are less toxic and active against several viruses at the same time is relevant. Basidiomycetes, higher fungi, are a source of medicinal compounds that have antimicrobial properties, as well as antiviral ones. Humic compounds (HS) of various nature also have antiviral activity.The aim of the study was to obtain nontoxic compounds from the basidiomycete Inonotus obliquus and humic compounds from brown coals and to test their activity against viruses that are pathogenic to humans: HIV and Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV)., Material and Methods: The antiviral activity of melanin extracts obtained from the culture of the chaga fungus Inonotus obliquus and HS from the brown coal of the Kansko-Achinsk Deposit was studied using a model of MT-4 lymphoblastoid cells infected with HIV type 1 (HIV-1) strains and a monolayer culture of Vero cells infected with HSV type 1 (HSV-1) using virological and statistical research methods., Results and Discussion: It was found that all the studied compounds did not have a cytotoxic effect on cells at a concentration of 100 mcg/ml. It was shown that extracts of basidiomycetes and HS have antiviral activity against HIV-1 and HSV-1. EC 50 (50%-effective concentration) for HIV-1 was 3.7-5.0 mcg/ml, selectivity index 28-35. Antiherpetic activity was detected at a dose of 50-100 mcg/ml. The antiviral effectiveness of melanin compounds was established both in the «preventive» (2 hours before cell infection) and in the «therapeutic» regimen of drug administration, both for HIV-1 and HSV-1. The presence of antiviral activity of melanin and HS in relation to the RNA-containing HIV-1 virus and DNA-containing HSV-1 virus in our study coincides with the results of a number of authors in relation to influenza viruses, herpes virus, HIV, hepatitis B virus, Coxsackievirus, smallpox vaccine virus, which suggests that the type of nucleic acid in the virus does not play a fundamental role in the antiviral action of these drugs. It is also clear that HS is effective against both enveloped and non-enveloped viruses., Conclusion: In general, it can be concluded that melanin and humic compounds are characterized by low toxicity in the presence of both virucidal and antiviral activity. This allows us to consider the studied compounds as the basis for creating safe medicines that are effective against pathogens of various viral infections.

In this study was made an attempt to reveal additional laboratory markers of white blood for preliminary estimation level of HIV-infection development. Essentially such markers these are in progress without complex equipment and expensive reagent. It was studied alterations of basic values cells of innate and acquired immunity of peripheral blood HIV-infected individuals with and without antiretroviral treatment (ART) during infection. It was estimate value leukocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, lymhpocytes, T-lymhpocytes, CD 4 + , CD 8 + T-cells, CD 4 /CD 8 index. It was used the first analysis in the time of registration for regular medical check-up and the intermediate derived during 2017-2018 years. Patients without ART and with ART before and after treatment had rates of leukocytes, lymhpocytes, T-lymhpocytes, monocytes and neutrophils within the normal guideline. Essential changes were observed in basic conventional laboratory parameters evaluation of HIV-infection dynamic (parameters of CD 4 + , CD 8 + T-cells, CD 4 /CD 8 index). Thereby it was impossible to reveal supplementary immunological markers of HIVinfection., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Triterpene saponin Taurosid Sx1 purified from leaves of the plant Crimean Ivy Hedera taurica Carr. (Araliaceae) was evaluated for its cytotoxic activity against lymphoblastoid cell lines MT-4, Jurkat-tat, U937, and human peripheral blood monocytes. The ability of saponin to influence HIV-1 replication was studied as well. In addition, the ability of Taurosid Sx1 to increase survival of mice infected with influenza virus А/WSN/1/33(H1N1) and its capacity for strengthening the immune responses in mice immunized with the influenza vaccine Grippol® have been studied. Taurosid Sx1 has been shown to inhibit MT-4 cell line at 25 μg ml-1 concentration, IC50 33,3 μmol l-1 (MTT assay). The saponin concentration of 5 μg ml-1 was non-toxic for all the cell lines studied and demonstrated a moderate inhibitory effect on HIV p24 production in Jurkat-tat cells. In the lower concentrations Taurosid Sx1 did not stimulate HIV p24 production. It was shown that oral administration of 200 μg Taurosid Sx1 to the influenza virus infected mice caused 1.5-fold increase in their survival. Taurosid Sx1 given orally amplified immunopotentiating ability of an intramusculary administered subunit influenza vaccine. Antibody production was significantly higher in animals fed Taurosid Sx1 after primary or secondary immunizatuion. In mice given 2 doses of vaccine, from 1 to 3 weeks apart, feeding 200 μg saponin resulted in 2 to 10-fold enhancement in production of anti-H1, anti-H3, and anti-inluenza type B hemagglutinin antibodies. Thus, Taurosid Sx1 can be considered as low-toxic promising immunopotentiating agent uncapable of enhancing HIV-1 replication.

It was studied in vitro the immunomodulatory effect of plasma HIV-infected individuals on expression of activation markers when used as a model neoplastic cell line MT-4. Carrying out researches indicated the variation in expression of the activation markers CD28+, CD38+, HLA-DR+ и CD69+. Change dynamics of these indices showed that these proteins can to consider as markers for level evaluation of patients immune system during used of plasma HIV-infected individuals with and without antiretroviral treatment (ART). Analysis revealed reduction of cells activation potential in plasma of patients with ART presence and rise without treatment. Examinations of the expression proteins CD28, CD38, HLA-DR и CD69 MT-4 cells and plasma of patients with HIV-infection application can have prognostic value for infection monitoring and efficacy of different therapeutic approaches., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The combined action of the immunostimulatory drug Stimforte and the basic etiotropic drug acyclovir commonly used to treat herpes infections was studied using the model of lethal experimental infection of mice BALB/c with herpes simplex virus type 1. It was found that the interaction of these drugs is additive. In addition, Stimforte inhibits infection caused by a strain of virus, which is highly resistant to acyclovir. When administered 24 hours prior to HIV-1 infection of human lymphoblastoid cells MT-4, Stimforte exhibited reliable antiretroviral activity best expressed during the early period of infection (the 3rd day). On the 6th day of observation the effect was almost completely lost. Combined use of Stimforte at a dose of 50-100 µg/ml with a subthreshold dose of retrovir (0.03 µg/ml) had a synergistic antiviral effect. Thus, Stimforte, which exhibits, on the one hand, antiviral activity against viruses of different families and, on the other hand, the immunomodulatory properties, could be promising as an etiopathogenic tool in helping to normalize both nonspecific and specific immunity. It may be used simultaneously with etiotropic antiviral chemotherapy in treatment of generalized herpes infection in patients with immunodeficiency. Furthermore, Stimforte can be used in the case of development of drug resistance in HSV, in particular, in HIV-infected patients.

The immune-modulating activity of "Ferrovir" medication in system in vitro was analyzed using neoplastic cellular line MT-4 as a model. Ferrovir decreased number of cells containing such markers of activation as CD28+, CD38+, CD62L+, CD69+ and HLA-DR+.Under 24 hours incubation period of cells in presence of 500 mkg per ml of medication, indices of decreasing of number of cells expressing these proteins (IRE), for proteins CD28, CD38, CD62L and HLA-DR made up to 1,9 ± 0,4, 1,3 ± 0,4, 1,2 ± 0,4, 1,1 ± 0,06 correspondingly. At prolonged incubation of cells in presence of Ferovir, the maximal effect was observed after 7 days of incubation and IRE for proteins mentioned above made up to 3,2, 3,4, 6,2, 1,4 и 3,1 correspondingly. Only for protein CD62L was marked a significant decreasing of number of cells bringing this marker and at 11th day of cells cultivation in presence of Ferrovir (IRE 3.89). It is possible that such an action of Ferrovir can decrease the process of spreading of cells containing integrated pathogenic material through organs and tissues of organism and slow down generalization of infectious process. The obtained results indicate that Ferrovir has an immune-modulating activity in vitro since it can decrease activating potential of neoplastic line of cells MT-4. These features can be useful in treatment of various type of cancer, HIV-infection and other human diseases. The decreasing of level of activation of cells of immune system also decreases risk of development of opportunistic infections., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The main groups of biocide agents used for inactivation of bacteria and viruses were studied for their virucidal activity against enveloped (HIV, viral hepatitis C, influenza virus A) and non-enveloped viruses (poliovirus, adenovirus). Their efficiency was analyzed. Quarterly ammonium compounds (QAC) themselves are not able to properly inactivate non-enveloped viruses. However, they can be successfully applied in combination with other biocides (guanidines, aldehydes). Effective composition of QAC with amines and guanidines provided inactivation of viruses (4.0 lgTCID50) in concentrations of 0.166-0.280% for non-enveloped viruses and 0.080-00.185% for enveloped viruses. The combination of QAC with aldehydes is especially effective (0.04-0.64% for non-enveloped viruses). The virucidal efficiency does not directly depend on the QAC concentration in the chemical disinfectants.

The article considers expression of markers of activation of neoplastic CD4+ T-lymphocytic transplantable cellular line M T-4, transformed by T-lymphotropic human virus type I. It is demonstrated that in cells are detected such external proteins as CD25 + , CD28 + , CD38 + , CD62L + , CD69 + , CD95 + and HLA-DR + . The maximal number of these components was detected in three days after transplantation of cells. These indices reached average level for markers CD25 + , CD28 + , CD38 + , CD69 + , CD95 + and HLA-DR + - more than 90% and for CD62L + - 48%. The obtained results and cultivation of cells indicate that cells MT-4 can be used as a convenient model for testing of activity of immune modulation preparations., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

In this work the proinflammatory (IL-1β, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2) and anti-inflammatory (IL-4, IL-10) plasma cytokine levels were evaluated in HIV-infected patients with or without antiretroviral treatment (ART). IFN-γ was detected in 94% samples with and without ART, TNF-α in 88% and IL-2 in 38% samples without ART, as well as in 12% and 30% samples with ART, respectively. Positive correlation was detected between viral RNA and IFN-γ levels (rs = 0.13) and negative correlation (rs = -0.242) in the patients without or with ART. Cosecretion of three cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2) was detected in 31% samples and two cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α) in 35% samples of persons without ART. Cosecretion of three cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2) was detected in 20% samples with ART; cosecretion of IFN-γ and IL-2 was detected in 10% samples. The higher percentage of the proinflammatory cytokines with cosecretion was detected in plasma HIV-infected patients without ART in the course of 6 and more years, which suggests that their immune system is able to provide disease control.

Fractions of aqueous and water-alcohol extracts of the birch fungus Inonotus obliquus have antiviral effect against the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Antiviral properties of low toxic extracts were manifested in the concentration of 5.0 μg/ml upon simultaneous application with the virus in the lymphoblastoid cells culture MT-4. The extract of the birch fungus can be used for development of new antiviral drugs, inhibitors of HIV-replication when used both in the form of individual drugs and as a part of complex therapy.

The expanded analysis of 57 samples of peripheral blood from conditionally healthy patients was implemented concerning phenotype of main populations of lymphocytes, activated pools of cells and level of cytokines. The samples were received in the department of storage of blood and its components of the research institute of blood transfusion of the hematology research center. It is demonstrated that number of T-lymphocytes, T-helpers and activated TY-cells with phenotype CD3+HLA-R+ and level of detected cytokines by standard indicators had no difference with publications data. In particular cases an increase of number of cytolytic T-lymphocytes, B-lymphocytes and natural killers and decrease or increase of CD4/CD8 index relative to standard were detected. The decrease of number of natural killers was the most frequent aberration. The study demonstrates that among conditionally healthy patients giving blood as donors persons with disorders of immune system were presented.

For the purpose of finding effective inhibitors of virus adsorption the series of inositol-containing phospholipid dimer analogues were previously synthesized. In the present work, the antiretroviral activity of these compounds against HIV-1 was demonstrated on the model of cells infected with the virus. The highest effect was found in the case of dimer poliol 5, EC50 (50%-effective concentration) was 3.9 microg/ml. The development of new polyanionic compounds, which can interfere with early steps of the virus life cycle, is a promising addition to the antiretroviral therapy based on the virus enzyme inhibitors.

One of the approaches to enhance bioavailability of nucleoside reverse transcriptase HIV inhibitors consists in design of their prodrugs based on 1,3-diacylglycerols, which may simulate nature lipids metabolic pathways promoting the improvement of drug delivery to the target cells. Glycerolipidic AZT conjugates with different functional phosphoric centers were synthesized by H-phosphonate technique in the present work. Study of prepared prodrugs sensibility to the chemical and enzymatic hydrolysis (in buffer solution and under the influence of pancreatic lipase) and also study of their anti-HIV activity on the T-lymphoid human MT-4 cells in regarding to virus HIV-1(899A) strain were carried out.

A series of new 5'-O-carbamate prodrugs of AZT have been prepared. The stability in biological media, anti-HIV properties and pharmacokinetic parameters in dogs were evaluated. The compounds display moderate anti-HIV activity in cell culture. After oral administration of carbamate IV in dogs, both intact prodrug IV and released AZT were discovered in dog blood. Pharmacokinetic parameters of the compound IV were estimated. Half-life (T(1/2)) of AZT released after oral administration of IV in dogs was close to that after administration of AZT itself, and time to the maximum concentration (T(max)) of AZT released from IV was two and three times longer compared with that of AZT and H-phosphonate AZT, respectively. Acute toxicity was more than five times less if compared with AZT. As a result, we consider this series of carbamate derivatives of AZT as perspective for development of anti-HIV agents., (© 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.)

The peripheral blood counts of CD4+, CD8+, and CD4/CD8 in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 subtype A-infected patients were comparatively analyzed with the data of a genetic study of the pol gene. Thirty peripheral blood samples from antiretroviral-naïve patients with grade 3 (sublinical) HIV infection were analyzed. According to the presence or absence of mutations V77I in protease and/or A62V in reverse transcriptase, the patients were divided into 2 study groups. The genetic analysis of the groups indicated that 19.5% of the study samples had no mutations; 75% contained one or both mutations, of them 36% contained both mutations. Immunological study showed that the median CD4+, CD8+, and CD4/CD8 in the patients infected with virus variants containing mutations V77I and/or A62V were increased by 25, 20, and 16%, respectively. The findings suggest that these mutations may be associated with an immune response in HIV-infected patients.

The antiretroviral properties of Fullevir (sodium salt of fullerenepolyhydropolyaminocaproic acid) manufactured by IntelFarm Co.) were studied in the human cell culture infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The agent was ascertained to be able to protect the cell from the cytopathic action of HIV. The 90% effective concentration (EF90) was 5 microg/ml. The 50% average toxic concentration was 400 microg/ml. Testing of different (preventive and therapeutic) Fullevir dosage regimens has shown that the drug is effective when used both an hour before and an hour after infection and when administered simultaneously with cell infection. The longer contact time for the agent with the cells increased the degree of antiviral defense. Co-administration of Fullevir and the HIV reverse transcriptase inhibitor Retrovir (azidothymidine) showed a synergistic antiretroviral effect. Thus, Fullevir may be regarded as a new promising antiretroviral drug for the treatment of HIV infection.

Target screening among microbial products resulted in isolation of hypolipidemic compounds tested for activity against HIV in culture of transferable lymphoblastoid cells MT-4. The majority of the compounds showed antiviral activity. The highest antiviral effect was observed when before exposure to the virus the cells were preincubated for 1 hour in the presence of the isolated compounds. The compounds showed no effect when added to the cell culture preliminarily infected by HIV.

Ferrovir (trivalent iron in complex with native sturgeon milt DNA) is nontoxic, its 50% inhibiting concentration (IC50) is at least 4000 micrograms/ml, 90% effective concentration (EC90) towards HIV-1 is 800 micrograms/ml. These effects do not depend on the cell culture or individual biological characteristics and subtypes of 7 strains of HIV-1 used in our study. The chemotherapeutic index of the drug is more than 20. Combined therapy with ferrovir and retrovir had an additive antiviral effect. Ferrovir reduced the titer of human CMV in fibroblast culture by 1-2 Ig TCD50. Ferrovir protected mice after intracerebral inoculation with lethal herpes simplex virus (type 1) (survival 33.7%, protection 27.1%, which is close to the reference group treated with zovirax). These facts evidence antiviral activity of ferrovir towards RNA and DNA viruses and prompt further study of this drug with the aim of its clinical application.

HIV strains isolated from HIV patients hospitalized at the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology in 1991-1993 are analyzed. HIV-1 strains isolated at different stages of the illness were referred to subtypes A and B. The biological properties of the isolates of both subtypes were virtually the same. The majority of the isolated HIV-1 strains were relatively resistant to azidothymidin, no matter whether the patients were previously treated with this drug or not. Study of strains repeatedly isolated from the same patients showed an increase of the cytodestructive characteristics of the isolates. Strains isolated from the same epidemiological chain were characterized by the same properties and sensitivity to the tested antiHIV agents. The resistance of the virus to antiHIV drugs with different mechanisms of action may be an indicator of the terminal stage of the illness.

Cell systems infected with 63 strains of types 1 and 2 HIV virus (HIV-1 and HIV-2) were examined under electron microscope. HIV virions were most frequently detected near the cell membrane or budding from it. In the cytoplasm HIV occurred only in vacuole-like formations. Accumulations of mature virions were seen in the cell-to-cell space. Mature particles of HIV-1 and HIV-2 differed by their morphology from oncoviral C particles and were similar rater to the Visna/Medi type Lentiviruses. Morphological analysis of HIV strains isolated in Russia demonstrated their similarity to be foreign HIV strains.

The anti-HIV activity of an antiseptic miramistin in the presence of fetal calf serum (FCS) was studied. It has been recently shown that cation detergent miramistin at a concentration of 100 micrograms/ml prevented HIV-1 replication in MT-4 cells when these cells were cocultivated with MT-4 cells previously infected and treated with the detergent in a protein-free medium. Under such conditions 50 micrograms of miramistin per ml delayed HIV propagation in MT-4 cells by 14 days. Detergent-dependent arrest of HIV development was abolished by addition of FCS at a final concentration of 50%. Miramistin in a dose of 100 micrograms/ml prevents HIV-1 replication in Jurkat-tat cells when they are cocultivated with the cells of the same line previously infected and treated by the detergent in the presence of 5% FCS. FCS in concentrations from 12.5 to 75% prevents the anti-HIV activity of miramistin in a dose of 100 micrograms/ml.

The anti-HIV activity of a cationic detergent myramistin and nonionic detergent dezintegron-0 (d-0) was studied using HIV-1 strains III B/H9 and BRU in lymphoblastoid cells MT-4 and Jurkat-tat. Myramistin in a concentration of 0.075 mg/ml was shown to prevent HIV-1 replication in MT-4 when these cells were cocultivated with the cells preinfected and treated with the detergent. Myramistin in concentrations from 0.030 to 0.050 mg/ml delayed the accumulation of virus antigens in the cells by 4 and 14 days, respectively, without preventing the infection of intact cells. Nonionic d-0 prevented HIV-1 infection of intact Jurkat-tat cells at a concentration of 12.5 mg/ml.

Mutual activation of reproduction of type 1 HIV and herpes simplex types 1 and 2 viruses (HSV) was observed in simultaneous infection of continuous T-cellular lymphoblastoid lines (CEM, 119, Hut-78, MT-4, Jurkat-tat) and U-937 monocytic line. Syncytium formation and cytodestructive pattern of reproduction of viruses of both families in these cell lines necessitated the use of enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to detect the antigens of these viruses in order to assess the level of reproduction. The concentration of HIV antigens in EIA increased in mixed infection by 1.4 to 2.1 times in different cultures in comparison with the culture infected with HIV-1 alone, and concentrations of HSV-1 and HSV-2 increased by 1.3-1.8 times in mixed infection, in comparison with reproduction in lymphoblastoid cultures infected with HSV alone. EIA was alone used to examine the production of IgG and IgM antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus, another representative of Herpesviridae family, in the blood sera of patients with immunodeficiency states in whose sera antibodies to proteins produced by gag HIV gene (p15/17, p24, p55) were detected. Increased concentration of IgG antibodies were revealed in 36% of these patients, whereas in healthy donors the sera with elevated concentrations of IgG to Epstein-Barr virus were far less incident (12%). A hypothesis about mutual activation of HIV and herpes viruses is put forward.

The authors have formulated the basic principles of the creation of metallo-constructions with DNA which possess biological activity. Thus, the interaction of metal and DNA during formation of metallo-construction must not destabilize the structure of initial DNA. The studies conducted by the authors prove the hypothesis of the working mechanism of these complexes: pronounced activity against viruses which contain DNA and RNA.

Ten hybridomas secreting monoclonal antibodies (Mab) against recombinant HIV-1 and HIV-2 antigens were produced (3 Mab anti-gag protein, 2 anti-env1, and 5 anti-env2). In the immunoblotting assay all the anti-gag Mabs reacted with HIV capsid protein p24, whereas one of them reacted also with p55 protein and with 7 other polypeptides. Another anti-gag Mab cross-reacted with the antigen of subpopulation of human peripheral blood lymphocytes. The third one interacted with the antigen of both HIV-1 and HIV-2. All the 10 Mabs interacted with natural HIV antigens and can be used for identification and differentiation of HIV-1 and HIV-2.

High molecular natural (ridostin and larifan) and synthetic (camedon) interferon inducers inhibited HIV-1 replication in MT-4 and CEM cultures when administered simultaneously with the inoculum. The effect of interferon inducers was comparable with that of azidothymidine in concentrations providing cell protection. The degree of culture protection determined by the number of viable and antigen-containing cells was approximately similar for strain 899A and freshly isolated IV39. No significant difference in the efficacy of the preparations in the two different cell cultures. MT-4 and CEM, was observed. It may be assumed that the antiviral effect of the interferon inducers under study will depend little on the type of cell culture.

The paper describes the enzyme immunoassay system for detection of human immunodeficiency virus antigens, which is based on the use of rabbit anti-HIV antibodies and monoclonal antibodies to HIV-1 gene proteins gag. The system may be useful in the examination of laboratory and clinical samples to reveal both free and conjugated antigens in the composition of immune complexes. The sensitivity of the assay system under development is 0.5 ng/ml at 100% specificity.

HIV strains were isolated from HIV-infected patients and AIDS patients in CIS. A total of 81 HIV isolates were obtained. The isolates were identified by using immunofluorescence and enzyme immunoassay, by determining the activity of reverse transcriptase, immunoblot, electron microscopy, polymerase chain reaction. Of the 81 isolates 79 were HIV-1 and 2 HIV-2. The strains differed in their infectivity, the kinetics of virus antigen accumulation, and the spectrum of susceptible cell lines. The viruses isolated may be assigned as two groups: high and low infective. The biological properties of the national HIV isolates were shown to be similar to the prototype HIV strains isolated elsewhere.

Fifty-seven HIV-1 strains were isolated from peripheral blood lymphocytes of 102 HIV-infected persons involved in epidemic outbreaks in different cities of the USSR. The effectiveness of isolation was 29.1% in asymptomatic infection, 51.7% in cases with generalized lymphadenopathy, and 82.6% in persons with severe clinical manifestations. Identification of the isolates by indirect immunofluorescence, ELISA, reverse transcriptase activity, Western blot, electron microscopy, and polymerase chain reaction showed them to belong to HIV-1 type. Reproduction of the isolates in cell cultures was accompanied by cytopathic effect and syncytium formation. The isolated strains can be divided into two groups: (1) the poorly growing isolates with low or negative RT and ELISA results and (2) the isolates with high infectivity, broad spectrum of cell tropism, and high levels of RT and ELISA. These data show the correlation of biological properties of HIV-1 strains isolated in the USSR with those of HIV strains previously isolated in Europe, USA, and Africa.

The paper deals with further search for substances modifying metabolic processes, changing the conditions of virus existence in the host cell and, consequently, possessing a certain antiviral activity. The antiviral effects of aromatic carbonic acids amides including trisubstituted benzamides and nicotinamide were tested. Five out of 8 substances tested possessed antiviral activity which might be due to their capacity to inhibit the activity of the enzymes of ADP-ribosylation. By blocking cellular processes of ADP-ribosylation, the substances under study depressed DNA capacity for reparation, inhibited differentiation and transformation of cells, i.e. had an indirect effect on reproduction of viruses. The universal nature of the processes coursing with participation of NAD(+)-dependent ADP-ribosylation suggests that the range of antiviral activity of inhibitors of mono- and poly-ADP-ribosylation would not be limited to HIV infection but would be rather wide.

A karyological analysis of twenty-two variants of eight cell lines, which differed in their susceptibility to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and which had been obtained from different sources, was carried out by means of differential chromosome staining for G and C bands. The karyotypes of eight T-lymphoblastoid cell lines were identified, including five (MT-4, Molt-3, CEM, H-9, and Hut-78) not previously studied by cytogenetic methods. Karyotyping confirmed the identity of seventeen variants of the eight cell lines, and five variants of four lines were found to be misidentified. Comparative analysis of the cytogenetic characteristics of the three CEM-line variants demonstrates the need for karyotype evaluation in the course of in vitro cell cultivation. Fourteen identical marker chromosomes were revealed in H-9 and Hut-78 cell karyotypes, confirming the common origin of these two lines. It was found that the cells of the HIV-susceptible lines had a tendency to undergo polyploidisation both during the initial stages after isolation and in the course of cultivation.

A comparative study of testing methods for polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to human interferon using direct and reverse neutralization of the antiviral activity of interferon as well as ELISA was carried out. The activity of antibodies in ELISA was dozens of times higher than in neutralization tests. Polyclonal antibodies from the sera of mice immunized with alpha 2 interferon had a higher neutralizing capacity. M-5 monoclonal antibodies in specimens of ascitic fluid induced by inoculation of mice with hybrid cells exhibited an increase in both binding and neutralizing activity as compared with specimens of the culture fluid. Immunoglobulins from the ascitic and culture fluid of nonproductive myeloma cells as well as hybridomas producing monoclonal antibodies of other specificities showed practically no reaction with interferon in any of the tests under study. The screening of monoclonal antibodies intended for research and biotechnological purposes requires a composite analysis in both neutralization and binding tests in order to recover purposefully the hybrid clones producing antibodies with both or one of these properties.

Trials of clinically advantageous national inducers, thymus hormones, as well as human recombinant alpha 2-interferon were carried out in cultures of continuous lymphoblastoid cells H9/IIIB infected with HIV virus. The virus-inhibiting effect for HIV was observed with interferon in doses of 10-100 IU/ml. At a concentration of interferon of 1000 IU/ml, virus replication was inhibited completely, the interferon doses used exerting no marked toxic or antiproliferative effect on the cells. Human interferon inducers, poly(G).poly(C), PXL-6, dsRNA in concentrations of 50-100 micrograms/ml inhibited virus reproduction significantly. The highest antiviral effect was achieved with yeast dsRNA. The preparations of immunomodulators, thymarin, the 5th and 7th fractions of thymosin, noticeably stimulated proliferation of infected T-lymphocytes, reducing the relative number of cells carrying the virus-specific antigen. Combined use of preparations with different mechanisms of the antiviral effect may be advantageous in prevention and treatment of AIDS.

The most marked production of immune interferon by human peripheral blood leukocytes and splenocytes stimulated with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) was shown to be achieved when lymphoid cells are propagated under conditions of constant sparing mixing on roller apparatus at a temperature of 37 degrees +/- 0.5 degrees C. The resulting interferon was sensitive to low pH, thermolabile, inactivated by treatment with trypsin, and not neutralised by antisera to human alpha- and beta-interferons. The antiviral properties with regard to vesicular stomatitis and Semliki Forest viruses were practically similar in PHA- and SEA-induced interferon and human alpha- and beta-interferons. The capacity to inhibit colony formation by HeLa cells was 30 times higher in gamma-interferon than the antiproliferative activity of alpha- and beta-interferons.

The antiviral activity of 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxynucleoside 5'-phosphate analogues: 5'-phosphonomethylene-3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxythymidine, 5'-methylphosphonate and 5'-phosphite of 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxythymidine, 5'-phosphites of 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxyadenosine and guanosine was investigated in HIV-infected cell cultures (human lymphoblastoid cells). The effectivity of inhibition of HIV-reproduction in cells by these substances was close or even higher than that for the corresponding 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxynucleosides, whereas their toxicity was lower than that of nucleosides. These substances are supposed to be transported into the cells and to be transformed into the corresponding 5'-triphosphate analogues under the action of cell kinases. It is possible that such agents are terminator substrates of virus reverse transcriptases and thus inhibit the biosynthesis of DNA chains.

Monoclonal MAK-14-7 antibodies to the surface antigen of Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus and OKA series to vaccinia virus antigens were studied by enzyme-immunoassay (EIA) on the solid phase of the infected Vero, BHK-21, and HeLa cells. The immunoglobulins under study from the culture and ascitic fluids of hybridomas were shown to bind specifically with the appropriate antigens of the infected cells. The activity of monoclonal antibodies to viral antigens in EIA on the solid phase of the infected cells was 10-fold higher than in indirect immunofluorescence test. The method has a number of useful advantages such as the simplicity of preparation of the antigen solid phase, rapidly obtainable results, long-term preservation of ready panels with the specific antigen at room temperature. The high sensitivity of the method makes it effectively useful for screening of hybrid clones producing monoclonal antibodies.

Treatment of AIDS is a complicated problem since there is a limited set of preparations tested and most of them appear to be ineffective. Their main target is HIV reverse transcriptase. The data presented show that proteolysis inhibitors are able to inhibit HIV reproduction in cell culture. The compounds used in this study, gordox and kontrikal, are officinal drugs and therefore it is worthwhile to study their effect in patients with AIDS.

The conditions of immunoenzyme assay have been studied on the solid state phase of infected cells using the model of monoclonal antibodies MAK-14-7 to the virus of Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VVEE) and monoclonal antibodies OKA-1 to vaccine virus in the systems of VNK-21 cells or 4647 cells infected by VVEE, or HeLa cells infected by vaccine virus. The titer of monoclonal antibodies detected grows with the dose of infected cells fixed in the holes of micropanel used for reaction and with the multiplicity of infection. The most intensive and contrasting dyeing of conjugate has been registered when the cells have been fixed with 0.25% glutaraldehyde 24 h after infection. The titers of ascytic preparations of monoclonal antibodies MAK-14-7 and OKA-1 under the optimal conditions of immunoenzyme assay reaction on the solid phase of infected cells present 1 : 10 000 and 1 : 100 000.

Interferons obtained on induction of human lymphocytes with Newcastle viruses and staphylococcal enterotoxin A and diploid fibroblast cells of human embryos with poly (I).poly (C), as well as translation products of interferon mRNA obtained from these cells were analysed serologically. It was shown that the main type of interferon produced by the cells depended on the cell culture and inductor nature. It was defined at the level of the respective gene depression. Effective translation of mRNA of the interferons of the 3 types makes possible production of cDNA and creation of bacterial plasmids coding the genetic information for the synthesis of human interferon.