PHOTODYNAMIC INACTIVATION OF CELL-FREE HIV STRAINS BY A RED-ABSORBINGCHLORIN-TYPE PHOTOSENSITIZER

We have investigated the photodynamic activity of a new chlorin-type p hotosensitizer on a reference human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV -1) strain, two wild-type HIV-1 isolates and two drug-resistant HIV-1 isolates. This chlorin was highly effective for the inactivation of fr ee viruses, as assessed by two different quantitative cell culture ass ays. In the absence of blood components, all the HIV strains, includin g wild-type and drug-resistant mutant isolates, were totally inactivat ed using 30 mu g ml(-1) of chlorin and 0.75 J cm(-2) of 661 nm light. Successful killing of HIV-1 strains in either plasma or whole blood wa s also obtained by increasing the chlorin concentration moderately. Ou r results demonstrate the antiviral efficiency of this chlorin, sugges ting the potential application of dye-sensitized photoirradiation to d econtaminate blood products.