Abstract
We have examined the effect of 2,3 dimercapto-1-propanol (DMP), which is known as an anti-heavy metal-poisoning drug, against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). We demonstrate that DMP inhibited transactivation directed by tat protein, which is a metal containing transcriptional transactivating factor and also interfered with viral production. Furthermore, treatment and pretreatment of cells with DMP strongly reduced their sensitivity for HIV-1 infection through unknown mechanisms. These results indicate that DMP reveals pleuripotent effects on HIV-1 infection and production in vitro and thus may provide an exploitable hypothesis for designing new drugs against AIDS.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.