NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Inhibition of ataxia-dependent-mutated (ATM) kinase by the agent KU-55933 suppresses replication of wild-type and drug-resistant HIV-1 in vitro, UK researchers report in the May advance online issue of Nature Cell Biology.
“Our work to date has focused on using KU-55933 in proof-of- concept studies in the research setting -- validating ATM as a novel target for treating HIV-1 infections,” senior investigator Dr. Mark J. O’Connor told Reuters Health. This, he added, “represents a novel approach to anti-HIV therapy in that we are targeting a host protein and not a viral one.”
Dr. O’ Connor of KuDOS Pharmaceuticals and colleagues note that the aim is to inhibit non-essential host cell proteins required for viral replication. ATM is such a protein, apparently not needed for host survival. Treating HIV-1 infected cells with the small molecule inhibitor KU-55933 leads to a deficiency in ATM kinase and retrovirus-induced cell death.
As mentioned, the researchers found that KU-55933 represses replication of both wild-type and drug-resistant HIV-1.
However, because of the novelty of this approach, Dr. O’Connor added, “ATM inhibitors will require further significant preclinical testing before we can conduct clinical studies.”
Source: Nat Cell Biol 2005. [ Google search on this article ]
MeSH Headings:Biological Phenomena: Biological Phenomena, Cell Phenomena, and Immunity: Biological Sciences: Biology: Drug Resistance, Microbial: Genetics: Genetics, Microbial: Microbiologic Phenomena: Pharmacogenetics: Drugs, Investigational: Drug Resistance, Multiple: Biological SciencesCopyright © 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
