Collaborative research elucidates the mechanism of African plants that have anti-HIV effects

A joint study between the Wistar Institute and the University of Buea in Cameroon has revealed the mechanism behind the anti-HIV medicinal plant Croton oligandrus Pierre and Hatch. Croton oligandrus Pierre and Hatch is a type of African tree that has been used in traditional healing in Cameroon. various diseases and conditions such as cancer and diabetes.

The research team is a collaboration between Dr. Fidele Nti Kan and Dr. Ian Tietjen, Associate Professor of Pharmacy at the University of Buea and Director of the University of Buea’s Drug Discovery Center. Assistant Professor and Director of Global Studies and Partnerships Education at the Hubert J.P. Schomaker Education and Training Center at the Wistar Institute published his research findings in the paper “Croton” in the Journal of Experimental Pharmacology. oligandrus Pierre & Hutch (Euphorbiaceae) extract and isolated compounds reverse the incubation period of HIV-1. ”

The study is one of several discoveries on African compounds resulting from a collaboration between Wistar and the University of Buea Drug Discovery Center that began in 2021. This collaboration not only contributed to advances in HIV treatment research in Cameroon, but also led lead author Chantal Emade Nkwelu to travel from Cameroon to Wistar for five months to learn about Wistar’s laboratory technology for HIV research. I learned a lot and had the opportunity to bring it back to the University of Buea.

“This study demonstrates the value of global partnerships in the search for an HIV cure,” said Luis Montaner, DVM, Wistar Executive Vice President and Director of the Center for HIV Treatment and Viral Diseases, who leads Wistar’s HIV research efforts. says Mr. and served as a co-author of the paper. “Effective treatments need to reach people around the world, and by leveraging traditional African folk medicine, we are moving towards treatments with accessibility in mind. ”

Although HIV can be effectively managed worldwide with antiretroviral therapy (ART), there is still no available treatment for the disease. Even with lifelong ART treatment, the virus remains latent in reservoirs throughout the body and can reactivate at any time, and in the long term these reservoirs can contribute to chronic inflammation and comorbidities. There is a gender.

To address the need for HIV treatment strategies in sub-Saharan Africa, Wistar researchers collaborated with a team at the University of Buea in Cameroon to evaluate the activity of chemical extracts of C. oligandurus against HIV latency. did.

“This croton species was chosen for research because of its long history of use in ethnomedicine, along with related plants from Africa. For thousands of years, people in Cameroon and neighboring countries have used it for therapeutic purposes. Doctors have relied on traditional plant-based medicines to treat a variety of illnesses, from cancer to diabetes and, more recently, to HIV. Collaboration with the Wistar Institute has led to scientific discoveries. Beyond that, it also helps build human development capacity,” says Dr. Nti Kan.

Based on research from similar plants used in African ethnomedicine, the research team found that medicinal compounds in C. oligandurus are known as latency reversal agents (LRAs) that reactivate latent HIV. We investigated whether it could be a substance. LRA has become an important component of HIV treatment research due to its role in so-called “kick-and-kill” (the idea that HIV can be reawakened and aggressively targeted to eliminate viral reservoirs). I am.

By isolating a compound from a dried powder of plant bark, Dr. Tietjen, Ntie-Kang, and their team designed to test whether the compound would reverse HIV latency in vitro. We were able to perform the assay. This hypothesis was confirmed for four of the six compounds isolated. Remarkably, some of these compounds exhibited synergistic effects, i.e., achieved “greater than the sum of the parts” latency reversal when administered with existing LRA compounds.

“Our study shows there is reason to be excited about the potential of C. oligandurus to aid HIV treatment efforts,” said Dr. Tietjen, corresponding author of the Wistar paper. “Identifying LRA compounds that work synergistically with other LRAs to improve their strength is particularly challenging because it is difficult to coax HIV out of hiding so that researchers can kill the virus. It’s a win, given that it was discovered in a part of the world where HIV treatment research takes place and has such a huge impact.

“We also demonstrate the importance and value of traditional knowledge that local healers have used for generations, so it is very important that we respect and support this knowledge. We look forward to learning more about how compounds from this plant can aid in HIV treatment research efforts in Cameroon and around the world. ”

This study focused on biomedical technician training (BTT) program trainees and undergraduate students who participated in cytokine ELISA experiments as part of Wistar’s dedication to providing research-driven scientific experiences to trainees. Research experience (REU) student research was also featured.