Two immunomodulators, curcumin and sulfasalazine, enhance IDV antiretroviral activity in HIV-1 persistently infected cells

Since the appearance of resistance to antiretroviral treatment is unavoidable, the host cell's transcription factor NF-kappaB is a novel HIV target. The goal of this study was to characterize the effect of two immunomodulators, curcumin (Cur) and sulfasalazine (Sul), with a protease inhibitor, indinavir (IDV), on HIV-1 persistently infected CD4+ T-cells. Viral p24 antigen production, viral infectivity (tested on MAGI cells) and viral relative infectivity (viral infectivity/p24) were analysed. When used alone, both immunomodulators were able to reduce viral infectivity. When in combination, both 10 mu M IDV plus 10 mu M Cur and 10 mu M IDV plus 250 mu M Sul showed a significant reduction in viral infectivity and viral relative infectivity when compared to the reduction produced by IDV alone. Thus, the use of immunomodulators with IDV could help to reduce HIV-1 production in persistently infected cells.