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In Vitro Activity of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Protease Inhibitors against Pneumocystis carinii

2000; Oxford University Press; Volume: 181; Issue: 5 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1086/315437

1537-6613

Chiara Atzori, Elena Angeli, Annalisa Mainini, F Agostoni, Valeria Micheli, Antonietta Cargnel,

HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions

Since 1996, the introduction of protease inhibitors (PIs) has led to a dramatic decrease of human immunodeficiency virus—related Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. This effect is clearly due, in large part, to the induction of immune reconstitution by highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). However, it is conceivable that PIs had other beneficial effects, including direct activity against Pneumocystis. In this study, the occurrence of specific aspartyl proteases in Pneumocystis is described. These protease targets seemed to be affected in vitro by antiretroviral PIs. These data suggest intriguing implications for the possible antipneumocystis benefit of receiving indinavir, ritonavir, nelfinavir, or saquinavir during HAART.