In vitro anti-HIV activity of sulfated cell-wall polysaccharides from gametic, carposporic and tetrasporic stages of the Mediterranean red alga Asparagopsis armata.

The gametic, carposporic and tetrasporic reproductive stages from the Mediterranean red alga Asparagopsis armata contain peculiar sulfated galactans with galactose:3,6-anhydrogalactose:sulfates molar ratio of 1:0.01:1.23, 1:0.04:0.47 and 1:0.01:1.13, respectively. These water-soluble polysaccharides were studied for their in vitro activity against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1). Gametic and tetrasporic galactans inhibit HIV replication at 10 and 8 micrograms/ml, respectively, as measured by HIV-induced syncitium formation as well as reverse transcriptase activity in cell-free culture supernatant. The carposporic polysaccharide is ineffective, even at 100 micrograms/ml. The maximal antiviral effect involves the presence of the polysaccharides after or during infection but not before infection. This time of action suggests an inhibition of an early step of HIV infection.