According to a new study reported in the journal Retrovirology, a plant-derived compound named genistein may become an effective HIV treatment without the drug resistance issues faced by current anti-HIV therapies.
This scanning electron micrograph shows HIV particles attacking a cell (Thomas Deerinck / National Center for Microscopy Imaging Research).
Genistein, derived from soybeans and other plants, is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor. It works by blocking the communication from a cell’s surface sensors to its interior. Found on a cell’s surface, these sensors tell the cell about its environment and also communicate with other cells. HIV uses some of these surface sensors to trick the cell to send signals inside. These signals change cell structure so that the virus can get inside and spread infection. But genistein blocks the signal and stops HIV from finding a way inside the cell. It takes a different approach than the standard antiretroviral drug used to inhibit HIV.
“Instead of directly acting on the virus, genistein interferes with the cellular processes that are necessary for the virus to infect cells,” explained senior author Prof Yuntao Wu of the George Mason University’s National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases.
“Thus, it makes the virus more difficult to become resistant to the drug. Our study is currently it its early stage. If clinically proven effective, genistein may be used as a complement treatment for HIV infection.”
Prof Wu’s team sees possibilities in this plant-based approach, which may address drug toxicity issues as well.
“Because genistein is plant-derived, it may be able to sidestep drug toxicity, a common byproduct of the daily and lifelong pharmaceutical regimen faced by patients with HIV to keep the disease at bay,” Prof Wu said.
Typically, patients take a combination of multiple drugs to inhibit the virus. The frequency can lead to drug toxicity. Plus, HIV mutates and becomes drug-resistant.
The team is working at finding out how much genistein is needed to inhibit HIV.
“It’s possible that plants may not have high enough levels, so drugs would need to be developed,” Prof Wu said.
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Bibliographic information: Jia Guo et al. 2013. Genistein interferes with SDF-1- and HIV-mediated actin dynamics and inhibits HIV infection of resting CD4 T cells. Retrovirology 10:62; doi: 10.1186/1742-4690-10-62
