Polyanionic carbosilane dendrimer-conjugated antiviral drugs as efficient microbicides: Recent trends and developments in HIV treatment/therapy.

Polyanionic carbosilane dendrimers (PCDs) are potential candidates for the development of new microbicides for the prevention of HIV transmission. Tenofovir (TFV), which has dual antiviral activity (anti-HIV/HSV-2), and maraviroc (MRV) are the most studied antiretrovirals as microbicides. Here, we introduce developments in the design of innovative dendrimer-based microbicides. We also review and discuss the combination of various PCDs with TFV and/or MRV for their anti-HIV-1 activity and synergistic combinatory potential. Well-defined combinations blocking HIV-1 infection in early steps of HIV-1 replication provide greater efficacy than monotherapy, as reflected by the decrease in concentration and increase in HIV-1 inhibition. These combinations are characterized by lower doses, which minimize toxic side-effects and the emergence of multi-drug resistant mutants. The above facts suggest that the combination of first- and second-generation PCDs with TFV and/or MRV represents a promising candidate microbicide for preventing HIV-1 sexual transmission and simultaneously suppressing HSV-2. FROM THE CLINICAL EDITOR: HIV infection remains a significant and unresolved problem for humankind, despite the development of combination antiretroviral therapy. It has been found that polyanionic carbosilane dendrimers have efficacy in preventing HIV transmission. In this comprehensive review article, the authors discuss the current status and latest development of the use of dendrimers in combination with other antiretroviral drugs as microbicides, which should stimulate others into further research in the fight against HIV.

BMS Derivatives C7-Linked to ß-Cyclodextrin and Hyperbranched Polyglycerol Retain Activity against R5-HIV-1NLAD8 Isolates and Can Be Deemed Potential Microbicides.

Amides from indole-3-glyoxylic acid and 4-benzoyl-2-methylpiperazine, which are related to entry inhibitors developed by Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS), have been synthesized with aliphatic chains located at the C7 position of the indole ring. These spacers contain an azido group suitable for the well-known Cu(I)-catalyzed (3+2)-cycloaddition or an activated triple bond for the nucleophilic addition of thiols under physiological conditions. Reaction with polyols (ß-cyclodextrin and hyperbranched polyglycerol) decorated with complementary click partners has afforded polyol-BMS-like conjugates that are not cytotoxic (TZM.bl cells) and retain the activity against R5-HIV-1NLAD8 isolates. Thus, potential vaginal microbicides based on entry inhibitors, which can be called of 4th generation, are reported here for the first time.

Combination of G2-S16 dendrimer/dapivirine antiretroviral as a new HIV-1 microbicide.

Aim: To research the synergistic activity of G2-S16 dendrimer and dapivirine (DPV) antiretroviral as microbicide candidate to prevent HIV-1 infection. Materials & methods: We assess the toxicity of DPV on cell lines by MTT assay, the anti-HIV-1 activity of G2-S16 and DPV alone or combined at several fixed ratios. Finally, their ability to inhibit the bacterial growth in vitro was assayed. The analysis of combinatorial effects and the effective concentrations were performed with CalcuSyn software. Conclusion: Our results represent the first proof-of-concept study of G2-S16/DPV combination to develop a safe microbicide.

Prevention of vaginal and rectal herpes simplex virus type 2 transmission in mice: mechanism of antiviral action.

Topical microbicides to stop sexually transmitted diseases, such as herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), are urgently needed. The emerging field of nanotechnology offers novel suitable tools for addressing this challenge. Our objective was to study, in vitro and in vivo, antiherpetic effect and antiviral mechanisms of several polyanionic carbosilane dendrimers with anti-HIV-1 activity to establish new potential microbicide candidates against sexually transmitted diseases. Plaque reduction assay on Vero cells proved that G2-S16, G1-S4, and G3-S16 are the dendrimers with the highest inhibitory response against HSV-2 infection. We also demonstrated that our dendrimers inhibit viral infection at the first steps of HSV-2 lifecycle: binding/entry-mediated events. G1-S4 and G3-S16 bind directly on the HSV-2, inactivating it, whereas G2-S16 adheres to host cell-surface proteins. Molecular modeling showed that G1-S4 binds better at binding sites on gB surface than G2-S16. Significantly better binding properties of G1-S4 than G2-S16 were found in an important position for affecting transition of gB trimer from G1-S4 prefusion to final postfusion state and in several positions where G1-S4 could interfere with gB/gH-gL interaction. We demonstrated that these polyanionic carbosilan dendrimers have a synergistic activity with acyclovir and tenofovir against HSV-2, in vitro. Topical vaginal or rectal administration of G1-S4 or G2-S16 prevents HSV-2 transmission in BALB/c mice in values close to 100%. This research represents the first demonstration that transmission of HSV-2 can be blocked by vaginal/rectal application of G1-S4 or G2-S16, providing a step forward to prevent HSV-2 transmission in humans.

Antiviral mechanism of polyanionic carbosilane dendrimers against HIV-1.

Nanotechnology-derived platforms, such as dendrimers, are very attractive in several biological applications. In the case of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, polyanionic carbosilane dendrimers have shown great potential as antiviral agents in the development of novel microbicides to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV-1. In this work, we studied the mechanism of two sulfated and naphthylsulfonated functionalized carbosilane dendrimers, G3-S16 and G2-NF16. They are able to inhibit viral infection at fusion and thus at the entry step. Both compounds impede the binding of viral particles to target cell surface and membrane fusion through the blockage of gp120-CD4 interaction. In addition, and for the first time, we demonstrate that dendrimers can inhibit cell-to-cell HIV transmission and difficult infectious synapse formation. Thus, carbosilane dendrimers' mode of action is a multifactorial process targeting several proteins from viral envelope and from host cells that could block HIV infection at different stages during the first step of infection.

HIV-1 antiviral behavior of anionic PPI metallo-dendrimers with EDA core.

The development of novel strategies to prevent HIV-1 infection is of outstanding relevance. Metal complexes of Cu(2+), Ni(2+), Co(2+) and Zn(2+) derived from sulfonated and carboxylated poly(propylene imine) dendrimers with ethylenediamine core were evaluated as tunable antiviral agents against HIV-1. After demonstrating their biocompatibility, specific trends in the antiviral properties were found, related to both the dendritic scaffold (peripheral group, generation) and the bound metal ions (sort, amount). In HEC-1A and VK-2 cell lines, as model of the first barrier against HIV-1 infection, a high preventive inhibitory action was found, which also avoided virus internalization inside cells and inhibited both CCR5 and CXCR4 HIV-1 strains. In peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), as model of the second barrier, a dual preventive and therapeutic behavior was observed. A rational design of such metallodendrimers opens new avenues for the production of versatile and efficient treatments against HIV-1 infection.

Amphiphilic cationic carbosilane-PEG dendrimers: synthesis and applications in gene therapy.

Here we synthesized carbosilane, generation 1 to 3, and PEG-based dendrons functionalized at the periphery with NHBoc groups and at the focal point with azide and alkyne moieties, respectively. The coupling of these two types of dendrons via click chemistry led to the formation of new hybrid dendrimers with two distinct moieties, the hydrophobic carbosilane and the hydrophilic PEG-based dendron. The protected dendrimers were transformed into cationic ammonium dendrimers. These unique amphiphilic dendrimers were studied as vectors for gene therapy against HIV in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and their performance was compared with that of a PEG-free carbosilane dendrimer. The presence of the PEG moiety afforded lower toxicities and evidenced a weaker interaction between dendrimers and siRNA when compared to the homodendrimer analogous. Both features, lower toxicity and lower dendriplex strength, are key properties for use of these vectors as carriers of nucleic material.