Anti-HIV type 1 Tat Monoclonal antibody, Clone 3E10F8

Background: The management of abdominal fat accumulation and metabolic disorders in HIV1-infected patients, by an aerobic training program, is considered. Methods: Seventeen lipodystrophic and 2 dyslipidemic (without body modification) adults were studied before and after 4 months of training. The training load was individualized on a ventilatory threshold basis, determined during a maximal exercise test on cycle ergometer. Total (TAT), Visceral (VAT) and Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue (SAT) were assessed by CT-scan. Total (TC) and High Density Lipoprotein (HDL-C) Cholesterol, Triglycerides (TG), lactate (La), insulin and glucose were measured after a 12-hour-overnight fast. LDL, TC/HDL, TG/HDL, HOMA-insulin resistance index and coronary heart disease (CHD) relative risk (RRCHD) were calculated. Results: Besides a significant improvement of aerobic fitness, trained patients exhibited a reduction in TAT (-12.8%, p < 0.001), specially at the visceral level (- 12%, p < 0.01) and in TC, TG and La (- 23%, - 43% and - 19% respectively, p < 0.01). HDL-C was increased (+ 6%, p < 0.01). All these effects were above changes that could be expected by a possible regression to the mean artefact. Both TC/HDL and TG/HDL were reduced (p < 0.01) and the estimated RRCHD decreased by &SIM;13% (p < 0.01). No significant training effect was observed on the 9 available HOMAs. Significant correlations were found between changes in blood lipid values and baseline measures (r range - 0.55 to - 0.79, p < 0.05), indicating a larger improvement when baseline lipid parameters were higher. Conclusion: Aerobic training reduced visceral fat, lipid disorders, basal blood lactate and CHD markers in HIV patients. Training effects were particularly important for patients with marked dyslipidemia.

The potent antiviral effect of double stranded RNA, such as the mismatched poly(I).poly(C12U) [Ampligen], 2',3'-dideoxy-3'-fluorothymidine (FddThd) and antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) has been established in in vitro systems using cells infected with the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). We report here that the immunomodulator poly(I).poly(C12U) interacts synergistically with (1) the reverse transcriptase inhibitor FddThd (FIC value: 0.43), (2) the modified (5'- and 3'-end capped thioates) antisense ODN-4 directed against the splice acceptor site of the HIV-1/tat gene (FIC value: 0.66) and (3) also with pyronin Y, a compound which prevents binding of HIV-1 Rev protein to the HIV-1 RRE element. These data suggest that combinations of poly(I)-poly(C12U), a stimulator of the natural antiviral protection system of the cells, with compounds targeting HIV1-specific processes should be considered as candidate treatments of AIDS patients.