In Vitro | In vitro activity: Stavudine alteres the lipid phenotype, decreasing the lipid content and expression of markers involved in lipid metabolism, namely C/EBPalpha, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, adipocyte lipid binding protein 2, fatty acid synthase and acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase. Stavudine drives 5-10% of 3T3-F442A cells towards apoptosis, and reduces the lipid content and survival of differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Stavudine increases mitochondrial mass by two to fourfold, and loweres the mitochondrial membrane potential (JC-1 stain). Stavudine inhibits p24 antigen production by HIV-I in PBMC with EDsos ranging from 0.04 μM to 0.2 μM. Stavudine produces significant mitochondrial dysfunction with a 1.5-fold increase in cellular lactate to pyruvate ratios. Stavudine causes a dose-dependent decrease in mtDNA amplification and a correlative increase in abundance of markers of mitochondrial oxidative stress. Stavudine treatment elevates mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS), enhances mitochondrial oxidative stress, and contributes mechanistically to NRTI-induced toxicity. |
---|
Animal model | Mice were treated for 2 weeks with stavudine d4T (500 mg/kg/day), L-carnitine (200 mg/kg/day) or both drugs concomitantly. Body fatness was assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, and investigations were performed in plasma, liver, muscle and WAT. D4T reduced the gain of body adiposity, WAT leptin, whole body FAO and plasma ketone bodies, and increased liver triglycerides and plasma aminotransferases with mild ultrastructural abnormalities in hepatocytes |
---|