Structure-activity correlationship and strain specificity of polyoxometalates in anti-human immunodeficiency virus...

The anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) activity of polyoxometalates of representative structural families, such as Keggin, lacunary Keggin, trivacant Keggin, Keggin sandwich, Wells-Dawson and Wells-Dawson sandwich, was determined using two strains of HIV type 1 (HIV-1HTLV-IIIB and HIV-1SF-2H). The compounds were preferably selected to cover both polyoxotungstates and polyoxomolybdates in each structural family. In general, polyoxotungstates of Keggin, lacunary Keggin, trivacant Keggin, Keggin sandwich, Wells-Dawson and Wells-Dawson sandwich structures showed anti-HIV-1HTLVIIIB activity, whereas most compounds not included in these structural categories were inactive. Among the compounds with a potent anti-HIV-1HTLV-IIIB activity, those of Keggin and its closely related structural families (lacunary Keggin, trivacant Keggin and Keggin sandwich) inhibited the cytopathogenicity and syncytium formation caused by HIV-1SF-2 to a much higher extent compared with HIV-1HTLV-IIIB-related ones. The difference between the spectra of anti-HIV-1HTLV-IIIB activity and the specificity for HIV-1SF-2H might result from differential structural requirements in these functions.