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Epstein-Barr virus lytic DNA replication

heapsreal

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Tenofovir prodrugs potently inhibit Epstein-Barr virus lytic DNA replication by targeting the viral DNA polymerase
Natalia C Drosu et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020.
Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a ubiquitous human γ-herpesvirus that establishes life-long infection and increases the risk for the development of several cancers and autoimmune diseases. The mechanisms by which chronic EBV infection leads to subsequent disease remain incompletely understood. Lytic reactivation plays a central role in the development of EBV-driven cancers and may contribute to other EBV-associated diseases. Thus, the clinical use of antivirals as suppressive therapy for EBV lytic reactivation may aid efforts aimed at disease prevention. Current antivirals for EBV have shown limited clinical utility due to low potency or high toxicity, leaving open the need for potent antivirals suitable for long-term prophylaxis. In the present study, we show that tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and tenofovir alafenamide (TAF), drugs with excellent safety profiles used clinically for HIV prevention, inhibit EBV lytic DNA replication, with respective IC50 values of 0.30 μM and 84 nM. In a cell-based assay, TAF was 35- and 24-fold and TDF was 10- and 7-fold more potent than acyclovir and penciclovir, respectively, and TAF was also twice as potent as ganciclovir. The active metabolite of tenofovir prodrugs, tenofovir-diphosphate, inhibited the incorporation of dATP into a primed DNA template by the EBV DNA polymerase in vitro. In contrast to acyclovir, treatment of cells during latency for 24 h with TAF still inhibited EBV lytic DNA replication at 72 h after drug was removed. Our results suggest that tenofovir prodrugs may be particularly effective as inhibitors of EBV lytic reactivation, and that clinical studies to address critical questions about disease prevention are warranted.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32409608/
 

Pyrrhus

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Thanks for sharing!

For a little background to this report, you can also see:
https://forums.phoenixrising.me/threads/input-on-treatment-protocol.81150/#post-2294340

The original in vitro tests reported by Erik De Clercq in 2003 showed no activity of tenofovir against HSV or EBV.[1] Then a clinical trial testing a vaginal gel made of tenofovir for HIV prevention noted that the patients receiving the tenofovir gel had fewer HSV2 genital lesions than those not using the gel. A follow-up clinical trial designed to specifically see if tenofovir could reduce HSV2 shedding found a modest effect.[2] Further in vitro testing showed that tenofovir had some efficacy against HSV[3] and against EBV[4].

References
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC207110/
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4655855/
[3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29186456/
[4] https://www.pnas.org/content/117/22/12368
 

heapsreal

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I lnow it seems too early, but 4 days so far and i feel better. Its possible its placebo but last 2 days been doing some heavy yard work, chopping treees down, dragging them to the trailer and pick them.up and pitting them in the trailer.

Usually if i could get through day one id be in a pem state for a few days but nothing so i did another day in the yard.

These effects are too early for it to be working on an infection level yet but i think it may be working its immune modulating effects.

Tenofovir/EM 👍🤞

The other thing is it could be working well with famvir at attacking hetpes viruses as both as a different mechanisn. OUR!!! Its XMRV!!! 🤣🤣🤣
No idea really just chuck it into the mix and see👍
 

heapsreal

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By the way, emtricitabine is quite similar to lamivudine, and has practically the same effects as lamivudine...
There is a tenofovir combo drug with lamivudine i have used. Ive basically only used them as they were cheaper than tenofovir itself. I didnt notice much from these combo drugs compared to tenofovir by itself. I did think the lamivudine may imorove things more if i have an entroviral infection, but im not really convinced its an issue for me. For me it seems the main issues for me are vzv and cmv, possibly ebv, plus low nk function. Then we can speculate if theres an exogenous or endogenous retrovirus issues i guess????

At this stage the scientific method is chuck it down the gob and see. So this is the case until current medicine improves technology where they have more tests for us to find whats wrong and have an answer on how to fix it.
 

heapsreal

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How did you get on with Tenofovir @heapsreal ?

I had used tenofovir several years earlier and I improved on it up to a point. Note I Was always on famvir until a shortage in 2020, probably why I used the tenofovir again.

In regards to this thread, Im pretty sure I stopped it for 2 reasons, one I wasn't getting as much out of it as I expected plus this was when I was having problems getting famvir.

The other reason was I had a massive headache/migraine/shingles nerve pain thingy episode. I say that as I don't have a definite diagnosis for it. So had the severe headache and was vomiting for 3 days Almost non stop before I gave up one morning and got my wife to take me to hospital. I was severely dehydrated and kidneys were stressed out from this on blood work. I had 4 litres of IV fluids In hospital and was then told to take things up with my gp and get an ultra sound on my kidneys and more blood work after a couple of weeks. I

I stopped the tenofovir then as its just more stress on the organs I didn't need. Kidney ultrasound was fine, blood work wasn't great and took awhile for kidney blood work to improve. Blood work for kidneys is now fine. The headache episode etc wasn't related to the tenofovir. I think it was a nasty shingles reactivation as the pain was on the same side of my head where all the shingles crap happens for me. So I guess tenofovir wasn't strong enough for that shingles episode??

I have thought of trying it again but for me valcyte seems more appropriate.
 

godlovesatrier

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Thanks. Tenofovir is known to cause kidney trouble though. So it could have been a direct side effect of the drug?

Sounds like your kidneys incurred some temporary damage inflamation. Glad it's healed tho.

Tenofovir seems highly potent against ebv based on studies I've found. That's why I'm interested which makes me wonder if that's why it works for 1/3 of the patients Dr Weir used it on, seemingly the same percentage for other doctors also.
 
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heapsreal

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Thanks. Tenofovir is known to cause kidney trouble though. So it could have been a direct side effect of the drug?

Sounds like your kidneys incurred some temporary damage inflamation. Glad it's healed tho.

Tenofovir seems highly potent against ebv based on studies I've found. That's why I'm interested which makes me wonder if that's why it works for 1/3 of the patients Dr Weir used it on, seemingly the same percentage for other doctors also.

The first time I used tenofovir it was atleast 12 months and kidney function was fine. Usually atleast twice a year I get bloods and the only time I had abnormal kidney values was after the dehydration and for about 12 months later. Now they are fine. Shows how safe famvir is if kidney numbers return to normal while on famvir.

I haven't spoken to anyone who used tenofovir who mentioned ebv values dropping but probably not actively watching them either. I was in contact with Dr Jamie Deckoff-Jones who used antiretroviral meds herself as well as her daughter and some of her pts. Initially the theory was some sort of retrovirus but after she had stopped them I believe she thought they may have helped through modulating the immune system.

She had some rough stats from memory. A third of cfsers responded to tenofovir the others got nothing. As far as cures I think maybe 1 or 2 people and they were treated early with cfs. She said those that improved was usually a couple of points out of 10 improvement. Something like 12 months there was no more improvements and they could stop tenofovir and maintain that level for a couple of years. That's a rough quote of what she said that I'm trying to recall from my cfs brain, don't take it as black and white.