Potentiating effect of ribavirin on the anti-retrovirus activity of 3′-azido-2,6-diaminopurine-2′,3′-dideoxyriboside in vitro and in vivo

Abstract

3′-Azido-2,6-diaminopurine-2′,3′-dideoxyriboside (AzddDAPR) is a potent and selective inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication in vitro. It also inhibits Moloney murine sarcoma virus (MSV)-induced transformation of murine C3H/3T3 embryo fibroblasts. AzddDAPR causes a marked dose-dependent suppression of MSV-induced tumor formation and mortality therewith associated in newborn mice infected with MSV. Combination of AzddDAPR with ribavirin resulted in a marked potentiation of its anti-retrovirus activity in vitro and a significant enhancement of its inhibitory effect on MSV-induced tumor formation in vivo. A slight increase in the in vivo toxicity of AzddDAPR was noted when combined with ribavirin.