HIV inactivation by cross-linking of photo-labeled anti-retroviral compounds with HIV reverse transcriptase.

We describe a new method for the development of a preventive inactivated-HIV vaccine, based on photo-inactivation of HIV reverse transcriptase (RT), which preserves both the conformational and functional integrity of viral surface proteins. The RT of HIV-1 was selectively targeted for inactivation using a photo-labeled compound with specific affinity for HIV-1 RT. The photo-labeled virions were then exposed to UV light causing the photo-labeled compound to form a covalent bond cross-linking the photo-active compound to RT. Replication capacity of the treated virions was significantly reduced when compared to controls suggesting that exposure of treated virions to UV light had caused a stable interaction of RT and the photo-labeling compound.