Abstract: Residual HIV-1 replication reemerges after intensive therapy from location or locations in the body called the drug resistant non-plasma viral reservoir. Methods are disclosed of treating HIV by inhibiting or blocking this reemergence with various monomeric therapeutic peptide compositions including monomeric DAPTA prepared in least 80% trifluoroethanol, with vigorous shaking for at least about 24 hours at about 37° C.

Abstract: Chemokine signaling is important in neuropathic pain, with microglial cells expressing CCR2 playing a well established key role. DAPTA, a gp120-derived CCR5 entry-inhibitor has been shown to inhibit CCR5-mediated monocyte migration and to attenuate neuroinflammation. We disclose here that as a stabilized analog of DAPTA, the short peptide All D TTNYT exhibits potent antagonism for both CCR2 (IC50 4.2 pM) and CCR5 (IC50 0.18 pM) in monocyte chemotaxis. Oral administration of All D TTNYT (0.05-1 mg/kg) for 7 days fully prevents mechanical allodynia and inhibits the development of thermal hyperalgesia following partial ligation of the sciatic nerve in rats. Administered from day 8 to day 12, All D TTNYT (0.2-1 mg/kg) reverses already established hypersensitivity. All D TTNYT relieves pain hypersensitivity probably through either or both CCR2 and CCR5, since by using genetically deficient animals, we demonstrated that in addition to CCR2, CCR5 is also required for the development of neuropathic pain.

Abstract: Compositions are disclosed that induce broadly HIV therapeutic and vaccine inducing antibodies against diverse HIV clades and relate to the ability to identify HIV gp120-derived short peptide sequence immunogens and various therapeutic compositions made from the identified peptides which compose CCR5 binding sites. Also disclosed are methods of selecting peptide sequences that are likely candidates for drugs which will offer effective treatment in such areas as Alzheimer's disease, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis and other diseases associated with the human inflammatory cascade as well as related retroviruses such as HTLV-1, the cause of tropical spastic paraparesis.