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Updated: May 19, 2026

Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship, Activity Prediction, and Molecular Dynamics of Non-nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
Published on: May 9, 2025
Antiviral activity of retrocyclin RC-101, a candidate microbicide against cell-associated HIV-1
Phalguni Gupta1, Carol Lackman-Smith, Beth Snyder
1Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, USA. pgupta1@pitt.edu
Abstract:
Microbicides have been evaluated mostly against cell-free HIV-1. Because semen contains both cell-free and cell-associated HIV-1, HIV-1 transmission could occur via either or both sources. Therefore, it is important to examine the antiviral activity of microbicides against cell-associated HIV-1. The cyclic antimicrobial peptide retrocyclin RC-101 has been shown previously to have antiviral activity against cell-free HIV-1, with no associated cellular toxicity. In this article we have examined the antiviral activity of RC-101 against cell-associated HIV-1. The results demonstrate potent antiviral activity of RC-101 against cell-cell HIV-1 transmission in both CD4-dependent and CD4-independent assays against CCR5- and CXCR4-tropic HIV-1, with no cellular toxicity. Furthermore, this antiviral activity was retained in the presence of human seminal plasma. The potent antiviral activity of RC-101 against cell-associated HIV-1 reported here, and the previously reported antiviral activity in cervical tissues, suggest that RC-101 is an excellent and promising microbicide candidate against HIV-1.
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