Design, synthesis and evaluation of peptide libraries as potential anti-HIV compounds, via inhibition of gp120/cell membrane interactions, using the gp120/cd4/fab17 crystal structure.

The crystal structure of a gp120/CD4/Fab17b complex was analysed leading to the design of several peptide libraries in the hope of obtaining novel gp120/cell membrane receptor interaction inhibitors, especially inhibitors of gp120/CD4 and gp120/chemokine receptor interactions. Syntheses of tri- and tetra- and pentapeptides were performed via a solid phase synthesis methodology using a Rink Amide MBHA resin and a Fmoc strategy giving C-terminal amide form peptides. Compounds were assayed against C8166 cells infected by HIV-1 IIIB and screened using a gp120 binding assay and the FIGS reporter gene assay.