Differential effect of HIV protease inhibitors on adipogenesis: intracellular ritonavir is not sufficient to inhibit differentiation.

Abstract

Protease inhibitors inhibit adipocyte differentiation depending on the cell model used. We showed for the first time that ritonavir accumulates into preadipocytes and adipocytes, suggesting a direct effect on intracellular targets. However, intracellular accumulation was clearly not sufficient as Ob1771 cells remained resistant to the inhibitory effect of ritonavir.