OBJECTIVE: Although HIV protease inhibitors have been successfully used against HIV infection, many metabolic side effects and premature cardiovascular diseases are often associated with this therapy. The mechanisms of these complications are not clear. In this study, we investigated the effect of the HIV protease inhibitor ritonavir on human endothelial cell cultures. METHODS AND RESULTS: By using nonradioactive cell proliferation and cytotoxicity assays, human endothelial cells treated with ritonavir showed a significant decrease in cell viability and an increase in cytotoxicity in a time- and dose-dependent fashion. Mitochondrial DNA was also substantially damaged with ritonavir treatment by long polymerase chain reaction analysis. In contrast, ritonavir had a very limited effect on endothelial apoptosis, as assessed by analyses of DNA fragmentation and cellular caspase-3 activity. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate, for the first time, that the HIV protease inhibitor ritonavir at concentrations near clinical plasma levels is able to directly cause endothelial mitochondrial DNA damage and cell death mainly through necrosis pathways but not through apoptosis. This study suggests that HIV protease inhibitor-mediated endothelial injury may contribute to its cardiovascular complications.
OBJECTIVE: Although HIV protease inhibitors have been successfully used against HIV infection, many metabolic side effects and premature cardiovascular diseases are often associated with this therapy. The mechanisms of these complications are not clear. In this study, we investigated the effect of the HIV protease inhibitor ritonavir on human endothelial cell cultures. METHODS AND RESULTS: By using nonradioactive cell proliferation and cytotoxicity assays, human endothelial cells treated with ritonavir showed a significant decrease in cell viability and an increase in cytotoxicity in a time- and dose-dependent fashion. Mitochondrial DNA was also substantially damaged with ritonavir treatment by long polymerase chain reaction analysis. In contrast, ritonavir had a very limited effect on endothelial apoptosis, as assessed by analyses of DNA fragmentation and cellular caspase-3 activity. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate, for the first time, that the HIV protease inhibitor ritonavir at concentrations near clinical plasma levels is able to directly cause endothelial mitochondrial DNA damage and cell death mainly through necrosis pathways but not through apoptosis. This study suggests that HIV protease inhibitor-mediated endothelial injury may contribute to its cardiovascular complications.
Authors: Tracie L Miller; Gabriel Somarriba; E John Orav; Armando J Mendez; Daniela Neri; Natasha Schaefer; Lourdes Forster; Ronald Goldberg; Gwendolyn B Scott; Steven E Lipshultz Journal: J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Date: 2010-10 Impact factor: 3.731
Authors: Francesc Vidal; Joan Carles Domingo; Jordi Guallar; Maria Saumoy; Begoña Cordobilla; Rainel Sánchez de la Rosa; Marta Giralt; Maria Luisa Alvarez; Miguel López-Dupla; Ferran Torres; Francesc Villarroya; Tomas Cihlar; Pere Domingo Journal: Antimicrob Agents Chemother Date: 2006-08-28 Impact factor: 5.191
Authors: Joel G R Weaver; Agathe Tarze; Tia C Moffat; Morgane Lebras; Aurelien Deniaud; Catherine Brenner; Gary D Bren; Mario Y Morin; Barbara N Phenix; Li Dong; Susan X Jiang; Valerie L Sim; Bogdan Zurakowski; Jessica Lallier; Heather Hardin; Peter Wettstein; Rolf P G van Heeswijk; Andre Douen; Romano T Kroemer; Sheng T Hou; Steffany A L Bennett; David H Lynch; Guido Kroemer; Andrew D Badley Journal: J Clin Invest Date: 2005-07 Impact factor: 14.808
Authors: W T Cade; D N Reeds; S Lassa-Claxton; V G Davila-Roman; A D Waggoner; W G Powderly; K E Yarasheski Journal: HIV Med Date: 2007-12-18 Impact factor: 3.180