Antiretroviral therapy and HIV-associated cancers: Antiangiogenic effect of efavirenz on chick chorioallantoic membrane

Rosie Thecla Mcneil ,Clement Penny ,Margot J Hosie

doi:10.4314/tjpr.v16i11.23

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the anti-angiogenic effect of efavirenz in chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM).Methods: Fertile eggs of the domestic fowl (Gallus gallus, variant Domesticus) were used as the in vivo vascular test environment. Experimental groups were VEGF, thalidomide (negative control), efavirenz (test drug), control 1 (treated with diluent) and control 2 (no treatment). CAM photographs were taken using a microscope camera. CAM blood vessels were scored as either “present” or “absent”.Results: There was association between treatment drugs and growth of CAM blood vessels (p < 0.05) as follows: control 1 – 100 %, control 2 – 67 %, VEGF - 83 %, thalidomide - 17 %, and efavirenz - 0 % (n = 30). Although efavirenz had absolute anti-angiogenicity and presented as a potential anti-cancer drug, there was no significant difference between the anti-angiogenicity of efavirenz (100 %) and thalidomide (83 %) (F = 1.000, p = 0.341).Conclusion: Being a first-line drug in both HAART and combination treatment of HIV-1, efavirenz may be responsible for spontaneous resolution of secondary cancers in HIV-infected patients on HAART regimen.Keywords: Efavirenz, HIV, Cancers, Angiogenesis, Chick chorioallantoic membrane

Highlights

Kaposi sarcoma is the most common cancer seen in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)
This has been reported for lung cancers [6] in relation to the use of “highly active antiretroviral therapy” (HAART)
From our work we found that thalidomide -treated chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) had poor blood vessel network, blood islands with red blood cells were seen at the periphery of CAM surfaces

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Kaposi sarcoma is the most common cancer seen in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Many researchers have documented the regression of HIV-associated cancers after antiretroviral therapy (ART) administration [1,2,3,4,5] This has been reported for lung cancers [6] in relation to the use of “highly active antiretroviral therapy” (HAART). HAART regime has changed the natural history of HIV/AIDS-related cancers [8]. With the exception of Control 2 subjects, an observation window of 1 x 2 cm dimension was cut into the egg shells on day 5 of treatment. This was done using a sterilized flexible metal saw

Ethics approval

RESULTS

DISCUSSION

CONCLUSION

Conflict of Interest