AIDS TREATMENT NEWS Issue # 22, January 16, 1987
John S. James
Peptides are short chains of amino acids (the building blocks of proteins). Peptide T is a chain of eight amino acids, namely Ala-Ser-Thr-Thr-Thr-Asn-Tyr-Thr (using conventional three-letter abbreviations). The name came from the fact that four of the eight amino acids happen to be threonine (abbreviated 'Thr', or 'T').
Scientists discovered the above formula by computer matches of protein sequences in the AIDS virus and elsewhere, and then they synthesized peptide T in the laboratory.
Peptide T seems to be the small piece of the AIDS virus which attaches to a receptor site on the surface of the helper T-cell. The virus must attach to this site in order to infect the cell. Apparently peptide T attaches instead, preventing the virus from doing so.
In laboratory tests, extremely small amounts of peptide T reduced infection of human helper T-cells. Slight variations of the peptide could greatly improve or diminish its effectiveness. The best variant inhibited AIDS virus infection at concentrations of about one part in ten million. The researchers see this result as only the beginning of the development of a whole new class of treatments for AIDS and other conditions.
Peptide T has already been given to four terminally ill AIDS patients in Sweden; their condition improved and all are still alive. According to the Public Affairs Branch of the Office of Scientific Information, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the NIMH together with the National Institutes of Health have applied to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for an IND (approval to use an investigational new drug), and hope to begin human trials very soon. The spokesperson did not know of any funding problems or any other barriers which would prevent the trials from starting as soon as the IND is approved. However, another official at NIMH said that animal toxicity tests would be needed first.
More information about peptide T can be found in the highly technical article published in the December 1986 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. A description appeared in The New York Times, December 16, 1986, page 18.
The public, through its AIDS, medical, and other public- service organizations, must continue to watch the development of peptide T, as well as other treatment research. In the past, too many promising AIDS treatment leads have been strangled in red tape or left on the shelf to collect dust instead of being tested promptly. Only continuing public vigilance can make sure it doesn't happen again.
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