PEPTIDES AND THEIR DERIVATIVES INHIBITING EXTRACELLULAR RELEASE OF HIV-1 TAT PROTEIN AND HIV-1 REPLICATION

A protein comprising a single or a combination of three intracytoplasmatic peptide stretches of the C- terminal domain of the Na+, K+-ATPase alpha sub-unit is herein disclosed, all said peptide stretches binding HIV-1 Tat protein. Said protein is the fusion of said three stretches, corresponding to the 824-843, 939-951 and 1007-1023 regions of said domain and have the sequence NH2 - YEQAESDIMKRQPRNPKTDK- COOH, NH2 - TRRNSVFQQGMKN- COOH, NH2 - LIIRRRPGGWVEKETYY- COOH. The invention also discloses a mammal expression vector expressing said protein and the corresponding DNA. The use of said substance is also disclosed for inhibiting HIV-1 Tat protein transactivation, inhibiting HIV-1 replication and treating HIV-1 infection and related diseases.