LOVASTATIN INHIBITS HIV-1 EXPRESSION IN H9 HUMAN T-LYMPHOCYTES CULTURED IN CHOLESTEROL-POOR MEDIUM

The effects of the HMG-Coenzyme A reductase inhibitor lovastatin on HI V-1 expression and sterol synthesis have been investigated in the huma n H9 lymphocytic cell line. To this purpose, sterol synthesis from C-1 4-acetate, cell multiplication and reverse transcriptase activity have been measured in parallel at various limes after cell infection by HI V-1. It was found that nine days after viral loading, lovastatin inhib ited both sterol synthesis and viral multiplication as assessed by the reverse transcriptase activity. Since HIV infection has been shown to induce alterations in membrane cholesterol content, suggesting that t he virus cycle may be partially dependent upon cellular cholesterol, i nhibitors of choleslerol synthesis could be an interesting way of rese arch in order to slower HIV propagation.