Identification and characterization of anti hiv activity from marine bivalves

Abstract

Human Immuno Deficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) is the causative agent of Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). HIV-1 mainly infects body T cells and macrophages. The loss of T cells during the viral infection leads to the weakened immune system. Feeble immune response of the immune system provides opportunity to establish different microbial infections in infected patients. The decrease in number of T cells, heavy viral load and damaging effect of opportunistic infections in patients leads to the death of infected persons. After identification of AIDS virus in 1980s, several approaches were developed to target both viral proteins and cellular proteins involved in HIV-1 replication. Most of the strategies target viral proteins like reverse transcriptase, protease, integrase, Tat, Rev, Nef, gp120 and gp41 etc. and also cellular proteins that are involved in viral entry, integration, transcription and maturation of viral life cycle. Although the currently available drugs reduces the viral load remarkably but fails to treat infected patients completely because of drug toxicities, generation of drug resistant mutant variants, existence of latent viral reservoirs and defective immune responses during the therapy. New inhibitors of viral replication are strongly required with novel mechanism of action and potent inhibitory effect.