We herein report that sulfated polymannuroguluronate (SPMG), a novel anti-acquired immunodeficiency syndrome drug candidate now in phase II clinical trial, significantly decreased vulnerability of PC12 cells to HIV Tat protein by protecting cells from apoptosis.
A number of studies have documented the neurotoxic property of Tat protein, and Tat has therefore been proposed to contribute to AIDS-associated neurological diseases.
The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) transactivator (Tat) protein has been linked to the development and course of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) associated with acquired immunodeficiency disease syndrome (AIDS-KS).
Thus, HIV-1 Tat protein may induce apoptosis by a mechanism that involves mitochondrial PT and may contribute to the lymphocyte depletion seen in AIDS patients.
The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Tat gene, a potent transactivator of viral and cellular genes, has been proposed as a key agent in the pathogenesis of acquired immune deficiency syndrome related disorders, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Our finding suggests that this activity of the tat gene may be responsible for the epidermal hyperplasia that accompanies psoriasis and precedes the development of squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas in AIDS patients.