Reports outline HIV/AIDS study results from University of Toulouse
2009 JUL 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- "The aim of this study was to design synthetic peptides with D-amino acid substitutions that mimic the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) gp41 HR2 region. The objective was to develop new and active C34 analogue peptides by introducing D-amino acid point substitutions at nonessential sites for HR1-HR2 interaction without disrupting the structure of the peptide," investigators in Toulouse, France report. "Herein we report a study with C34L peptide analogues, including the enantiomer peptide C34D, the retro-inverso analogue (RI), and two peptides with D-amino acid point substitutions (C34M2 and C34M3). Our results show that, with the exception of RI, these peptides adopt an alpha-helical structure and are, like C34L, able to interact with HR1, mimicked by the N36 peptide. Furthermore, we show that modifications introduced in C34M2, but not in C34M3, enhance its resistance to trypsin-mediated hydrolysis and increase the stability of C34M2 in physiological medium. Interestingly, our results show that C34 peptide analogues C34M2 and C34M3, but not C34D and its RI analogue, retain their ability to inhibit HIV-1 replication with an efficiency similar to that of the C34L peptide," wrote F. Gaston and colleagues, University of Toulouse. The researchers concluded: "These data underscore the interest in using D-amino acids at specific sites in the C34 peptide sequence and may lead to a new strategy for the development of more stable and active anti-HIV-1 peptidic drugs.." Gaston and colleagues published their study in Chemmedchem (Development and Characterization of Peptidic Fusion Inhibitors Derived from HIV-1 gp41 with Partial D-Amino Acid Substitutions. Chemmedchem, 2009;4(4):570-581). For additional information, contact F. Gaston, University of Toulouse, UFR SVT, Laboratory Immunovirol, F-31062 Toulouse, France. The publisher of the journal Chemmedchem can be contacted at: Wiley-V C H Verlag GmbH, PO Box 10 11 61, D-69451 Weinheim, Germany. Keywords: France, Toulouse, HIV/AIDS, AIDS, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Amino Acids, Biotechnology, Drugs, Fusion Inhibitor, Gene Therapy, HIV, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Immunology, Pharmaceuticals, Sexually Transmitted Disease, Synthetic Peptides, Treatment, Viral, Virology, University of Toulouse. This article was prepared by AIDS Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, AIDS Weekly via NewsRx.com.
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