Sulfated colominic acid: an antiviral agent that inhibits the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in vitro.

Colominic acid is a homopolymer of N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA), which has an alpha-2,8 ketosidic linkage between its polymer units. In this study, colominic acids were sulfated under different conditions and their antiviral activities against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) were examined. Sulfated colominic acids, containing 6-12% sulfur, blocked the expression of HIV-1 antigen in MT-4 cells or C8166 cells following exposure to MOLT-4/HTLV-IIIB or HIV-1[GUN-1]. The compounds inhibited syncytium formation upon co-cultivation of MOLT-4 cells (clone 8) with MOLT-4/HTLV-IIIB cells and abolished the production of HIV-1 p24 antigen in culture medium of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs). HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) activity was not directly affected by the drugs. The compounds did not prolong activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) at 10 and 1.0 microgram/ml, suggesting that they may not have appreciable side effects in vivo. These agents were still able to block the expression of HIV-1 antigen even when the cells were infected with HIV-1 in RPMI-1640 medium containing high percentages of fetal calf serum (FCS). These properties may be therapeutically advantageous if these compounds were considered for possible clinical use.