HIV Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about HIV, including details on human immunodeficiency virus, testing, treatment, prevention, vaccines, aids.

A novel anticancer agent ARC antagonizes HIV-1 and HCV.

Nekhai S, Bhat UG, Ammosova T, Radhakrishnan SK, Jerebtsova M, Niu X, Foster A, Layden TJ, Gartel AL

Center for Sickle Cell Disease, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA. snekhai@howard.edu

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) pose major public health concerns worldwide. HCV is clearly associated with the occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma, and recently HIV infection has also been linked to the development of a multitude of cancers. Previously, we identified a novel nucleoside analog transcriptional inhibitor ARC (4-amino-6-hydrazino-7-beta-D-ribofuranosyl-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]-pyrimidine-5-carboxamide) that exhibited proapoptotic and antiangiogenic properties in vitro. Here, we evaluated the effect of ARC on HIV-1 transcription and HCV replication. Using reporter assays, we found that ARC inhibited HIV-1 Tat-based transactivation in different cell systems. Also, using hepatoma cells that harbor subgenomic and full-length replicons of HCV, we found that ARC inhibited HCV replication. Together, our data indicate that ARC could be a promising candidate for the development of antiviral therapeutics against HIV and HCV.

Published 1 June 2007 in Oncogene, 26(26): 3899-903.
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