Fullerene Derivatives Prevent Packaging of Viral Genomic RNA into HIV-1 Particles by Binding Nucleocapsid Protein.

ABSTRACT: Fullerene derivatives with hydrophilic substituents have been shown to exhibit a range of biological activities, including antiviral ones. For a long time, the anti-HIV activity of fullerene derivatives was believed to be due to their binding into the hydrophobic pocket of HIV-1 protease, thereby blocking its activity. Recent work, however, brought new evidence of a novel, protease-independent mechanism of fullerene derivatives' action. We studied in more detail the mechanism of the anti-HIV-1 activity of N,N-dimethyl[70]fulleropyrrolidinium iodide fullerene derivatives. By using a combination of in vitro and cell-based approaches, we showed that these C₇₀ derivatives inhibited neither HIV-1 protease nor HIV-1 maturation. Instead, our data indicate effects o

SUBMITTER: Krizova I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8705927 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature