Caspase inhibitors as a supplement in immune activation therapies to achieve eradication of HIV in its latent reservoirs

Abstract

Synthetic caspase inhibitors are known to block death receptor-induced apoptosis. We have reported previously that in addition to apoptosis inhibition, caspase inhibitors induce a switch from proapoptotic to proinflammatory signaling in T cells. This switch sensitizes TNF-R1 to trigger TNF-alpha-induced reactivation of HIV in latently infected T cells. Here we ponder the prospects of caspase inhibitors as a supplement in immune activation therapies (IAT) to achieve eradication of HIV from the latent virus reservoirs in HIV-infected patients.