HIV protease inhibitor Lopinavir induces apoptosis of primary effusion lymphoma cells via suppression of NF-κB pathway

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a non-Hodgkin lymphoma that occurs predominantly in patients with advanced AIDS. In this study, we examined the effect of HIV protease inhibitors, Lopinavir (LPV), Ritonavir (RTV) and Darunavir (DRV) on PEL cell lines in vitro and in vivo. LPV and RTV, but not DRV induced caspase-dependent apoptosis and suppressed NF-κB activity by inhibiting IKK phosphorylation in PEL cells. In a PEL xenograft mouse model, LPV significantly inhibited the growth and invasion of PEL cells. These results suggest that LPV may have promise for the treatment and prevention of PEL, which occurs in HIV/AIDS patients.