Effect of histone deacetylase inhibitors on HIV production in latently infected, resting CD4 T cells from infected individuals receiving effective antiretroviral therapy

Persistence of the latent viral reservoir has been recognized as a major obstacle to eradicating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in infected individuals receiving antiretroviral therapy. It has been suggested that histone deacetylase inhibi-tors (HDACis) may purge HIV in the latent viral reservoir. However, the effect of HDACis on the degree and extent of HIV expression in the latent viral reservoir has not been fully delineated. Here we demonstrate that HDACis do not induce HIV production in the latent viral reservoir of aviremic indi-viduals. Therefore, alternative therapeutic strategies may be necessary to eliminate HIV in the latent viral reservoir. The majority of individuals infected with human immunodefi-ciency virus (HIV) receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) sup-press HIV plasma viremia for significant periods of time [1]. Nonetheless, eradication of HIV by ART alone has not bee