Assessment of Compounds for Anti-HIV Activity

Since the identification of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) as the retrovirus responsible for AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), huge efforts have been made to identify compounds possessing antiviral activity. Many assay systems are available to measure various stages of the viral lifecycle. These are very convenient for assessing the antiviral activity of compounds. The assay systems often use T-cell lines expressing CD4 on their surface, since this molecule is an essential component of the receptor for the virus (1). The basic principle when testing for anti-HIV compounds involves the interaction of virus with test material under suitable culture conditions and the subsequent measurement of a parameter reflecting the amount of virus present and, thus, the degree of viral replication.