DHEA in Felines Inhibits FIV Viral Replication
1. Vet Immunol Immunopathol. 1995 May;46(1-2):159-68.
Dehydroepiandrosterone inhibits replication of feline immunodeficiency virus in
chronically infected cells.
Bradley WG(1), Kraus LA, Good RA, Day NK.
Author information:
(1)All Children’s Hospital, Laboratory of Retrovirology, St. Petersburg, FL
33701, USA.
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex
that serves as an intermediary in sex steroid synthesis. DHEA is produced in
abundance by humans and most other warm-blooded animals. Based upon previous
reports demonstrating the antiviral and immunostimulatory activities of DHEA and
DHEA-sulfate (DHEAS) we sought to determine whether introduction of these
compounds would affect replication of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) in
chronically infected cells. When cell number, cell viability, cellular DNA
synthesis, and levels of FIV reverse-transcriptase (RT) were measured in cell
cultures treated with various dilutions of DHEA or DHEAS it was found that the
production of FIV RT was inhibited by DHEA at levels where cellular viability and
DNA synthesis were not affected. At the concentrations tested DHEAS did not
inhibit FIV replication or impact on cellular viability or proliferation.
PMID: 7542411 [Indexed for MEDLINE]