Inhibitory Effect of a Lichen Polysaccharide Sulfate, GE-3-S, on the Replication of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in Vitro

Abstract

A sulfate (GE-3-S) prepared by chlorosulfonic acid treatment of GE-3, a partially acetylated β(1→6) glucan of the lichen Umbilicaria esculenta, inhibited the cytopathic effect of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and suppressed the HIV-antigen expresion in Molt-4 (clone 8) cells. GE-3-S also suppressed the giant cell formation of HIV-infected Molt-4 cells, and inhibited HIV-induced plaque formation by 50% at the dose of 19.5μg/ml and completely at 250μg/ml in MT4 cells. GE-3-S had no direct effect on the reverse transcriptase of HIV.