FLUPIRTINE PROTECTS BOTH NEURONAL CELLS AND LYMPHOCYTES AGAINST INDUCED APOPTOSIS IN-VITRO - IMPLICATIONS FOR TREATMENT OF AIDS PATIENTS

In the present study we demonstrate that flupirtine, an already clinic ally used, centrally acting, non-opiate analgesic agent, protects rat cortical neurons against HIV-gp120 induced apoptotic cell death. The d rug was active at concentrations between 1 and 10 mu g/ml. Furthermore we show inhibition of in vitro induced apoptosis in human blood monon uclear cells, using flupirtine. Induced apoptosis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy individuals and HIV-1 infected patients was reduced to approximately 50% after in vitro preincubation with fl upirtine at concentrations between 0.1 and 10 mu g/ml. The anti-apopto tic effect of flupirtine was restricted to CD3(+) lymphocytes and in p articular to CD4(+) cells. Flupirtine does not affect uninduced apopto sis in human lymphocytes in vitro. The selective potential of flupirti ne to reduce apoptosis without influencing uninduced apoptosis may qua lify this compound as a potential drug in the therapy of HIV-1 infecte d patients.