The entry of entry inhibitors: a fusion of science and medicine. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • For HIV-1 to enter a cell, its envelope protein (Env) must sequentially engage CD4 and a chemokine coreceptor, triggering conformational changes in Env that ultimately lead to fusion between the viral and host cell membranes. Each step of the virus entry pathway is a potential target for novel antiviral agents termed entry inhibitors. A growing number of entry inhibitors are under clinical development, with one having already been licensed by the Food and Drug Administration. With the emergence of virus strains that are largely resistant to existing reverse transcriptase and protease inhibitors, the development of entry inhibitors comes at an opportune time. Nonetheless, because all entry inhibitors target in some manner the highly variable Env protein of HIV-1, there are likely to be challenges in their efficient application that are unique to this class of drugs. Env density, receptor expression levels, and differences in affinity and receptor presentation are all factors that could influence the clinical response to this promising class of new antiviral agents.

publication date

  • September 5, 2003

Research

keywords

  • HIV Fusion Inhibitors
  • HIV-1

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC196849

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0141814730

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1073/pnas.1932511100

PubMed ID

  • 12960367

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 100

issue

  • 19