Peptide T
Encyclopedia
Peptide T is an HIV
entry inhibitor discovered in 1986 by National Institutes of Health (NIH)
researchers. Peptide T, and its modified analog Dala1-peptide T-amide (DAPTA), a drug in clinical trial
s, is a short peptide derived from the HIV envelope protein gp120
which blocks binding and infection of viral strains which use the CCR5
receptor to infect cells.
Peptide T has several positive effects related to HIV disease and Neuro-AIDS. A placebo-controlled, three site, 200+ patient NIH-funded clinical trial, which focused on neurocognitive
improvements, was conducted between 1990 and 1995. The results showed that peptide T was not significantly different from placebo
on the study primary end points. However, peptide T was associated with improved performance in the subgroup of patients with more severe cognitive impairment.
A long-delayed analysis of antiviral effects from the 1996 NIH study showed peripheral viral load (combined plasma and serum) was significantly reduced in the DAPTA-treated group. An eleven person study for peptide T effects on cellular viral load showed reductions in the persistently infected monocyte
reservoir to undetectable levels in most of the patients. Elimination of viral reservoirs, such as the monocytes, is an important treatment goal. DAPTA has been shown to substantially suppress brain inflammation and block proinflammatory cytokine signaling pathways in a small animal model of Alzheimer's disease
.
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
entry inhibitor discovered in 1986 by National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
researchers. Peptide T, and its modified analog Dala1-peptide T-amide (DAPTA), a drug in clinical trial
Clinical trial
Clinical trials are a set of procedures in medical research and drug development that are conducted to allow safety and efficacy data to be collected for health interventions...
s, is a short peptide derived from the HIV envelope protein gp120
Gp120
Envelope glycoprotein GP120 is a glycoprotein exposed on the surface of the HIV envelope. The 120 in its name comes from its molecular weight of 120 kilodaltons...
which blocks binding and infection of viral strains which use the CCR5
CCR5
C-C chemokine receptor type 5, also known as CCR5, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CCR5 gene. CCR5 is a member of the beta chemokine receptors family of integral membrane proteins...
receptor to infect cells.
Peptide T has several positive effects related to HIV disease and Neuro-AIDS. A placebo-controlled, three site, 200+ patient NIH-funded clinical trial, which focused on neurocognitive
Neurocognitive
Neurocognitive is a term used to describe cognitive functions closely linked to the function of particular areas, neural pathways, or cortical networks in the brain substrate layers of neurological matrix at the cellular molecular level...
improvements, was conducted between 1990 and 1995. The results showed that peptide T was not significantly different from placebo
Placebo
A placebo is a simulated or otherwise medically ineffectual treatment for a disease or other medical condition intended to deceive the recipient...
on the study primary end points. However, peptide T was associated with improved performance in the subgroup of patients with more severe cognitive impairment.
A long-delayed analysis of antiviral effects from the 1996 NIH study showed peripheral viral load (combined plasma and serum) was significantly reduced in the DAPTA-treated group. An eleven person study for peptide T effects on cellular viral load showed reductions in the persistently infected monocyte
Monocyte
Monocytes are a type of white blood cell and are part of the innate immune system of vertebrates including all mammals , birds, reptiles, and fish. Monocytes play multiple roles in immune function...
reservoir to undetectable levels in most of the patients. Elimination of viral reservoirs, such as the monocytes, is an important treatment goal. DAPTA has been shown to substantially suppress brain inflammation and block proinflammatory cytokine signaling pathways in a small animal model of Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
.