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AssigneeThe George Washington University
InventorsMichael Bukrinsky, Dmitri Sviridov
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The present invention provides novel methods for treating and preventing coronary artery disease in HIV-1-infected individuals by interfering with Nef-mediated effect on ABCA1. The invention further provides novel methods for suppressing HIV infection by stimulating cholesterol efflux from cells by stimulating expression of ABCA1 in HIV-1-infected individuals. These methods take advantage of the finding that Nef, a regulatory protein of HIV-1, (1) diminishes expression of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), the main transporter of cholesterol from cells to extracellular acceptors; and (2) impairs cholesterol efflux from HIV-1-infected macrophages leading to cholesterol accumulation and formation of foam cells, which is a characteristic feature of atherosclerosis.
A method of treating or preventing coronary artery disease in an HIV-infected individual comprising administering an effective amount of an agent that interferes with binding of Nef to ARCA1 and thereby stimulates export of excess cholesterol from HIV-infected cells.
A composition for treating or preventing one or more symptoms of AIDS, comprising administering to an individual in need thereof an effective amount of an agent that interferes with binding of Nef to ABCA1 and thereby reduces HIV control of cholesterol trafficking in infected cells and stimulates efflux of cholesterol from the infected cells to external molecules.
A combination therapy for treatment or prevention of one or more symptoms of AIDS comprising administering to an individual in need thereof art effective amount of an anti-HIV compound with an effective amount of an agent that interferes with binding of Nef to ABCA1 and thereby stimulates efflux of cholesterol from infected cells to extracellular molecules.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.