NICOTINAMIDE INHIBITS HIV-1 IN BOTH ACUTE AND CHRONIC IN-VITRO INFECTION

HIV-1 infected patients can manifest a number of poorly understood con ditions including dermatitis, dementia, and diarrhea. These conditions are in some ways suggestive of pellagra, the syndrome associated with niacin depletion. We demonstrate here that nicotinamide, the amide fo rm of niacin, inhibits HIV-1 infection in cell culture. Neither nicoti nic acid which is the alternative form of niacin, nor thiamine (anothe r B complex vitamin), shows a similar degree of inhibition in tissue c ulture. This inhibition occurs in both primary cells and in establishe d cell lines. In vitro models of acute and chronic HIV infection are d emonstrated here to be inhibited by nicotinamide in a dose dependent m anner when added in millimolar concentrations. (C) 1995 Academic Press , Inc.