This is a prospective, interventional, exploratory clinical study designed to evaluate the pharmacokinetics, safety, and biological effects of spironolactone on the degradation of the XPB (ERCC3) protein and its potential impact on the HIV reservoir. Spironolactone is an FDA-approved mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist that has recently been shown in preclinical studies to induce rapid and reversible proteolytic degradation of XPB, a key subunit of the transcription factor IIH (TFIIH) complex, which is essential for cellular transcription, DNA repair, and viral replication.
The study will enroll adult participants, including both HIV-negative individuals and people living with HIV receiving suppressive antiretroviral therapy with undetectable plasma viral load. Participants will receive oral spironolactone with stepwise dose escalation according to individual tolerability, followed by a post-treatment follow-up period.
Primary assessments include evaluation of XPB protein degradation in CD4+ T cells and characterization of the pharmacokinetic profile of spironolactone and its active metabolites. In participants living with HIV, secondary assessments include quantitative and functional measurements of the HIV reservoir. Safety will be monitored throughout the study through clinical evaluations, laboratory testing, and electrocardiographic assessments.
This study aims to generate initial clinical evidence supporting the repositioning of spironolactone as a potential component of HIV cure strategies, particularly within a "block-and-lock" approach targeting sustained viral transcriptional silencing.