Synthesis of an Inhibitor of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

Anti‐HIV effects of lentinan sulfate were investigated by using an HTLV‐I‐carrying cell line, MT–4, in vitro. Lentinan, a fungal branched (1→3)‐β‐d‐glucan, was sulfated to various degrees by means of two kinds of procedures using piperidine N‐sulfonic acid in dimetbyl sulfoxide or chlorosulfonic acid in pyridine. Lentinan sulfate with a sulfur content of more than 13.9% effectively prevented HIV‐induced cytopathic effects (CPE) at concentrations of more than 3.3 μg/ml. However, low‐substituted lentinan sulfate did not prevent HIV‐induced CPE at any concentration tested. When the counter‐cation was 50% Na(±) and 50% pyridinium ion, the inhibitory capacity was low. Anticoagulant activity of the lentinan sulfate was also assessed.