Antiviral effect of lamivudine on HIV-1 targeting MT2 cells influenced by morphine

Abstract

To determine whether morphine having the ability to influence the antiviral effect of lamivudine (3TC) in vitro study. MT2 cells were randomly assigned into morphine + 3TC treatment group, morphine + naloxone + 3TC treatment group, naloxone + 3TC treatment group. Both 3TC and virus control groups were set up. The corresponding MT2 cells were treated with opiates antagonist (naloxone) for 0.5 hours before the 24-hours morphine treatment program was implemented while all of the groups were then infected with equal amounts of cell-free HIV-1 IIIB strain and 3TC. HIV-1 p24 antigen in culture supernatants collected at days 3, 4, 5 and 6 after infection status was tested and the inhibition of 3TC anti-HIV-1 p24 antigen of various treatment groups calculated. Inhibition of 3TC anti-HIV-1 p24 antigen of Morphine + 3TC treatment group was the lowest when HIV-1 infected cells at 3(rd)and 4(th) day and showed significant difference (P < 0.05) when compared to the 3TC control. However, there was no statistically significant difference among them (P > 0.05), when virus was infected the cells at 5(th)and 6(th) day. The difference of 3TC anti-HIV-1 p24 antigen inhibition between the morphine + naloxone + 3TC treatment group and the naloxone + 3TC treatment group was not significant (P > 0.05). Similar results were obtained when these two groups were compared to the 3TC control group (P > 0.05), respectively. The 3TC anti-HIV-1 p24 antigen inhibition of each treatment group reduced as the time of infection prolonged, showing a significant and time-course effect. The 3TC antiviral effect was reduced by morphine in the early stage of infection, and could be blocked by naloxone.