Although several antiretroviral compounds are already known, almost no acyclic nucleoside derivatives lacking an oxacyclopentane have been reported to exert significant inhibition against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in vitro. We found two unsaturated acyclic nucleoside derivatives, adenallene [9-(4'-hydroxy-1',2'-butadienyl)adenine] and cytallene [1-(4'-hydroxy-1',2'-butadienyl)cytosine], that protect various CD4+ T-cell lines from the infectivity and cytopathic effect of HIV-1. These compounds inhibit the expression of HIV-1 gag-encoded protein and suppress viral DNA synthesis at concentrations that do not affect functions of normal T cells in vitro. They also inhibit the in vitro infectivity of another human retrovirus, HIV-2. Further in vitro analyses of the anti-HIV-1 activity revealed that the presence of two cumulated double bonds between the 1' and 2' carbons and between the 2' and 3' carbons confers antiretroviral activity in certain pyrimidine or purine derivatives containing a four-carbon chain. We have also found that the 4'-hydroxyl group is critical for the in vitro anti-HIV activity of adenallene. Our observations may provide structure-activity relationships for acyclic nucleoside analogues and may be of value in developing a new class of experimental drugs for the therapy of HIV-related diseases.