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Sample records for displays potent antiviral

  1. Discovery of potent broad spectrum antivirals derived from marine actinobacteria.

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    Avi Raveh

    Full Text Available Natural products provide a vast array of chemical structures to explore in the discovery of new medicines. Although secondary metabolites produced by microbes have been developed to treat a variety of diseases, including bacterial and fungal infections, to date there has been limited investigation of natural products with antiviral activity. In this report, we used a phenotypic cell-based replicon assay coupled with an iterative biochemical fractionation process to identify, purify, and characterize antiviral compounds produced by marine microbes. We isolated a compound from Streptomyces kaviengensis, a novel actinomycetes isolated from marine sediments obtained off the coast of New Ireland, Papua New Guinea, which we identified as antimycin A1a. This compound displays potent activity against western equine encephalitis virus in cultured cells with half-maximal inhibitory concentrations of less than 4 nM and a selectivity index of greater than 550. Our efforts also revealed that several antimycin A analogues display antiviral activity, and mechanism of action studies confirmed that these Streptomyces-derived secondary metabolites function by inhibiting the cellular mitochondrial electron transport chain, thereby suppressing de novo pyrimidine synthesis. Furthermore, we found that antimycin A functions as a broad spectrum agent with activity against a wide range of RNA viruses in cultured cells, including members of the Togaviridae, Flaviviridae, Bunyaviridae, Picornaviridae, and Paramyxoviridae families. Finally, we demonstrate that antimycin A reduces central nervous system viral titers, improves clinical disease severity, and enhances survival in mice given a lethal challenge with western equine encephalitis virus. Our results provide conclusive validation for using natural product resources derived from marine microbes as source material for antiviral drug discovery, and they indicate that host mitochondrial electron transport is a viable

  2. Neonatal plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs display subset variation but can elicit potent anti-viral innate responses.

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    Xiaoming Zhang

    Full Text Available Neonates are highly susceptible to infectious diseases and defective antiviral pDC immune responses have been proposed to contribute to this phenomenon. Isolated cord blood pDCs innately responded to a variety of TLR7 and TLR9 dependent viruses, including influenza A virus (IAV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV or herpes-simplex virus (HSV by efficiently producing IFN-α, TNF-α as well as chemokines. Interestingly, following activation by CpGA, but not viruses, cord pDCs tend to survive less efficiently. We found that a hallmark of pDCs in neonates is an extended CD2+pDCs compartment compared to adult pDCs without affecting the antiviral IFN-α response. Within CD2+pDCs, we identified a subpopulation expressing CD5 and responsible for IL-12p40 production, however this population is significantly decreased in cord blood compared to adult blood. Therefore, neonatal pDCs clearly display variation in phenotype and subset composition, but without major consequences for their antiviral responses.

  3. Environmentally Friendly Procedure Based on Supercritical Fluid Chromatography and Tandem Mass Spectrometry Molecular Networking for the Discovery of Potent Antiviral Compounds from Euphorbia semiperfoliata.

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    Nothias, Louis-Félix; Boutet-Mercey, Stéphanie; Cachet, Xavier; De La Torre, Erick; Laboureur, Laurent; Gallard, Jean-François; Retailleau, Pascal; Brunelle, Alain; Dorrestein, Pieter C; Costa, Jean; Bedoya, Luis M; Roussi, Fanny; Leyssen, Pieter; Alcami, José; Paolini, Julien; Litaudon, Marc; Touboul, David

    2017-10-27

    A supercritical fluid chromatography-based targeted purification procedure using tandem mass spectrometry and molecular networking was developed to analyze, annotate, and isolate secondary metabolites from complex plant extract mixture. This approach was applied for the targeted isolation of new antiviral diterpene esters from Euphorbia semiperfoliata whole plant extract. The analysis of bioactive fractions revealed that unknown diterpene esters, including jatrophane esters and phorbol esters, were present in the samples. The purification procedure using semipreparative supercritical fluid chromatography led to the isolation and identification of two new jatrophane esters (13 and 14) and one known (15) and three new 4-deoxyphorbol esters (16-18). The structure and absolute configuration of compound 16 were confirmed by X-ray crystallography. This compound was found to display antiviral activity against Chikungunya virus (EC 50 = 0.45 μM), while compound 15 proved to be a potent and selective inhibitor of HIV-1 replication in a recombinant virus assay (EC 50 = 13 nM). This study showed that a supercritical fluid chromatography-based protocol and molecular networking can facilitate and accelerate the discovery of bioactive small molecules by targeting molecules of interest, while minimizing the use of toxic solvents.

  4. Lambda Interferon (IFN-gamma), a Type III IFN, is induced by viruses and IFNs and displays potent antiviral activity against select virus infections in vivo

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    Ank, Nina; West, Hans; Bartholdy, C.

    2006-01-01

    Type III interferons (IFNs) (interleukin-28/29 or lambda interferon [IFN-lambda]) are cytokines with IFN-like activities. Here we show that several classes of viruses induce expression of IFN-lambda1 and -lambda2/3 in similar patterns. The IFN-lambdas were-unlike alpha/beta interferon (IFN......-alpha/beta)-induced directly by stimulation with IFN-alpha or -lambda, thus identifying type III IFNs as IFN-stimulated genes. In vitro assays revealed that IFN-lambdas have appreciable antiviral activity against encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) but limited activity against herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), whereas IFN......-alpha potently restricted both viruses. Using three murine models for generalized virus infections, we found that while recombinant IFN-alpha reduced the viral load after infection with EMCV, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), and HSV-2, treatment with recombinant IFN-lambda in vivo did not affect viral...

  5. Lambda interferon (IFN-lambda), a type III IFN, is induced by viruses and IFNs and displays potent antiviral activity against select virus infections in vivo

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ank, Nina; West, Hans; Bartholdy, Christina

    2006-01-01

    Type III interferons (IFNs) (interleukin-28/29 or lambda interferon [IFN-lambda]) are cytokines with IFN-like activities. Here we show that several classes of viruses induce expression of IFN-lambda1 and -lambda2/3 in similar patterns. The IFN-lambdas were-unlike alpha/beta interferon (IFN......-alpha/beta)-induced directly by stimulation with IFN-alpha or -lambda, thus identifying type III IFNs as IFN-stimulated genes. In vitro assays revealed that IFN-lambdas have appreciable antiviral activity against encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) but limited activity against herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), whereas IFN......-alpha potently restricted both viruses. Using three murine models for generalized virus infections, we found that while recombinant IFN-alpha reduced the viral load after infection with EMCV, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), and HSV-2, treatment with recombinant IFN-lambda in vivo did not affect viral...

  6. Antiviral properties of photosensitizers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hudson, J.B.; Towers, G.H.N.

    1988-01-01

    We have studied the antiviral properties of three different groups of photo-sensitizers, viz. (i) various furyl compounds; (ii) β-carboline alkaloids; (iii) thiophenes and their acetylene derivatives. In general the antiviral potency of the furyl compounds correlated with their ability to produce DNA photoadducts. Among the naturally occurring β-carboline alkaloids, harmine was considerably more potent (in the presence of long wavelength UV radiation, UVA) than several other harmane-related compounds. Slight alterations in chemical structure had profound effects on their antiviral activities. Harmine was shown to inactivate the DNA-virus murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) by inhibiting viral gene expression, although other targets may also exist. Several eudistomins, carboline derivatives isolated from a tunicate, were also photoactive against viruses. Various plant thiophenes and polyacetylenes were studied in detail. These compounds also required UVA for antiviral activity, and some of them were extremely potent against viruses with membranes, e.g. α-terthienyl, which showed significant activity at only 10 -5 μg/ml. When MCMV had been treated with α-terthienyl plus UVA, the virus retained its integrity and penetrated cells normally; but the virus did not replicate. (author)

  7. Identification of a novel multiple kinase inhibitor with potent antiviral activity against influenza virus by reducing viral polymerase activity

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    Sasaki, Yutaka; Kakisaka, Michinori; Chutiwitoonchai, Nopporn [Viral Infectious Diseases Unit, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Tajima, Shigeru [Department of Virology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-8640 (Japan); Hikono, Hirokazu; Saito, Takehiko [Influenza and Prion Disease Research Center, National Institute of Animal Health, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 3-1-5 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856 (Japan); Aida, Yoko, E-mail: aida@riken.jp [Viral Infectious Diseases Unit, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan)

    2014-07-18

    Highlights: • Screening of 50,000 compounds and subsequent lead optimization identified WV970. • WV970 has antiviral effects against influenza A, B and highly pathogenic viral strains. • WV970 inhibits viral genome replication and transcription. • A target database search suggests that WV970 may bind to a number of kinases. • KINOMEscan screening revealed that WV970 has inhibitory effects on 15 kinases. - Abstract: Neuraminidase inhibitors are the only currently available influenza treatment, although resistant viruses to these drugs have already been reported. Thus, new antiviral drugs with novel mechanisms of action are urgently required. In this study, we identified a novel antiviral compound, WV970, through cell-based screening of a 50,000 compound library and subsequent lead optimization. This compound exhibited potent antiviral activity with nanomolar IC{sub 50} values against both influenza A and B viruses but not non-influenza RNA viruses. Time-of-addition and indirect immunofluorescence assays indicated that WV970 acted at an early stage of the influenza life cycle, but likely after nuclear entry of viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP). Further analyses of viral RNA expression and viral polymerase activity indicated that WV970 inhibited vRNP-mediated viral genome replication and transcription. Finally, structure-based virtual screening and comprehensive human kinome screening were used to demonstrate that WV970 acts as a multiple kinase inhibitor, many of which are associated with influenza virus replication. Collectively, these results strongly suggest that WV970 is a promising anti-influenza drug candidate and that several kinases associated with viral replication are promising drug targets.

  8. Identification of a novel multiple kinase inhibitor with potent antiviral activity against influenza virus by reducing viral polymerase activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sasaki, Yutaka; Kakisaka, Michinori; Chutiwitoonchai, Nopporn; Tajima, Shigeru; Hikono, Hirokazu; Saito, Takehiko; Aida, Yoko

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Screening of 50,000 compounds and subsequent lead optimization identified WV970. • WV970 has antiviral effects against influenza A, B and highly pathogenic viral strains. • WV970 inhibits viral genome replication and transcription. • A target database search suggests that WV970 may bind to a number of kinases. • KINOMEscan screening revealed that WV970 has inhibitory effects on 15 kinases. - Abstract: Neuraminidase inhibitors are the only currently available influenza treatment, although resistant viruses to these drugs have already been reported. Thus, new antiviral drugs with novel mechanisms of action are urgently required. In this study, we identified a novel antiviral compound, WV970, through cell-based screening of a 50,000 compound library and subsequent lead optimization. This compound exhibited potent antiviral activity with nanomolar IC 50 values against both influenza A and B viruses but not non-influenza RNA viruses. Time-of-addition and indirect immunofluorescence assays indicated that WV970 acted at an early stage of the influenza life cycle, but likely after nuclear entry of viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP). Further analyses of viral RNA expression and viral polymerase activity indicated that WV970 inhibited vRNP-mediated viral genome replication and transcription. Finally, structure-based virtual screening and comprehensive human kinome screening were used to demonstrate that WV970 acts as a multiple kinase inhibitor, many of which are associated with influenza virus replication. Collectively, these results strongly suggest that WV970 is a promising anti-influenza drug candidate and that several kinases associated with viral replication are promising drug targets

  9. Antiviral Activities of Several Oral Traditional Chinese Medicines against Influenza Viruses.

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    Ma, Lin-Lin; Ge, Miao; Wang, Hui-Qiang; Yin, Jin-Qiu; Jiang, Jian-Dong; Li, Yu-Huan

    2015-01-01

    Influenza is still a serious threat to human health with significant morbidity and mortality. The emergence of drug-resistant influenza viruses poses a great challenge to existing antiviral drugs. Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) may be an alternative to overcome the challenge. Here, 10 oral proprietary Chinese medicines were selected to evaluate their anti-influenza activities. These drugs exhibit potent inhibitory effects against influenza A H1N1, influenza A H3N2, and influenza B virus. Importantly, they demonstrate potent antiviral activities against drug-resistant strains. In the study of mechanisms, we found that Xiaoqinglong mixture could increase antiviral interferon production by activating p38 MAPK, JNK/SAPK pathway, and relative nuclear transcription factors. Lastly, our studies also indicate that some of these medicines show inhibitory activities against EV71 and CVB strains. In conclusion, the 10 traditional Chinese medicines, as kind of compound combination medicines, show broad-spectrum antiviral activities, possibly also including inhibitory activities against strains resistant to available antiviral drugs.

  10. Synthesis, X-ray structure, and hydrolytic chemistry of the high potent antiviral polyniobotungstate A-[alpha]-[Si2Nb6W18O77]8–

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    Gyu-Shik Kim; Huadong Zeng; Jeffrey T. Rhule; Ira A. Weinstock; Craig L. Hill

    1999-01-01

    Potently antiviral polyniobotungstates have been structurally characterized; the dimer A-[alpha]-[Si2Nb6W18O77]8– cleaves cleanly to the monomer A-[alpha]-[SiNb3W9O40]7– within 1 min in aqueous solution buffered at physiological (neutral) pH establishing that the monomer and not the dimer is pharmacologically relevant.

  11. The history of N-methanocarbathymidine: the investigation of a conformational concept leads to the discovery of a potent and selective nucleoside antiviral agent.

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    Marquez, Victor E; Hughes, Stephen H; Sei, Shizuko; Agbaria, Riad

    2006-09-01

    Conformationally locked (North)-methanocarbathymidine (N-MCT) and (South)-methanocarbathymidine (S-MCT) have been used to investigate the conformational preferences of kinases and polymerases. The herpes kinases show a distinct bias for S-MCT, while DNA polymerases almost exclusively incorporate the North 5'-triphosphate (N-MCT-TP). Only N-MCT demonstrated potent antiviral activity against herpes simplex viruses (HSV-1 and 2) and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV). The activity of N-MCT depends on its metabolic transformation to N-MCT-TP by the herpes kinases (HSV-tk or KSHV-tk), which catalyze the mono and diphosphorylation steps; cellular kinases generate the triphosphate. N-MCT at a dose of 5.6 mg/kg was totally protective for mice inoculated intranasally with HSV-1. Tumor cells that are not responsive to antiviral therapy became sensitive to N-MCT if the cells expressed HSV-tk. N-MCT given twice daily (100 mg/kg) for 7 days completely inhibited the growth of MC38 tumors derived from cells that express HSV-tk in mice while exhibiting no effect on tumors derived from non-transduced cells. After i.p. administration, N-MCT was rapidly absorbed and distributed in all organs examined with slow penetration into brain and testes. N-MCT-TP was also a potent inhibitor of HIV replication in human osteosarcoma (HOS) cells expressing HSV-tk.

  12. Eupafolin and Ethyl Acetate Fraction of Kalanchoe gracilis Stem Extract Show Potent Antiviral Activities against Enterovirus 71 and Coxsackievirus A16

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    Wang, Ching-Ying; Huang, Shun-Chueh; Lai, Zhen-Rung; Ho, Yu-Ling; Jou, Yu-Jen; Kung, Szu-Hao; Zhang, Yongjun; Chang, Yuan-Shiun; Lin, Cheng-Wen

    2013-01-01

    Enterovirus 71 (EV71) and coxsackievirus A16 (CoxA16) are main pathogens of hand-foot-and-mouth disease, occasionally causing aseptic meningitis and encephalitis in tropical and subtropical regions. Kalanchoe gracilis, Da-Huan-Hun, is a Chinese folk medicine for treating pain and inflammation, exhibiting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Our prior report (2012) cited K. gracilis leaf extract as moderately active against EV71 and CoxA16. This study further rates antienteroviral potential of K. gracilis stem (KGS) extract to identify potent antiviral fractions and components. The extract moderately inhibits viral cytopathicity and virus yield, as well as in vitro replication of EV71 (IC50 = 75.18 μg/mL) and CoxA16 (IC50 = 81.41 μg/mL). Ethyl acetate (EA) fraction of KGS extract showed greater antiviral activity than that of n-butanol or aqueous fraction: IC50 values of 4.21 μg/mL against EV71 and 9.08 μg/mL against CoxA16. HPLC analysis, UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, and plaque reduction assay indicate that eupafolin is a vital component of EA fraction showing potent activity against EV71 (IC50 = 1.39 μM) and CoxA16 (IC50 = 5.24 μM). Eupafolin specifically lessened virus-induced upregulation of IL-6 and RANTES by inhibiting virus-induced ERK1/2, AP-1, and STAT3 signals. Anti-enteroviral potency of KGS EA fraction and eupafolin shows the clinical potential against EV71 and CoxA16 infection. PMID:24078828

  13. Eupafolin and Ethyl Acetate Fraction of Kalanchoe gracilis Stem Extract Show Potent Antiviral Activities against Enterovirus 71 and Coxsackievirus A16

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    Ching-Ying Wang

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Enterovirus 71 (EV71 and coxsackievirus A16 (CoxA16 are main pathogens of hand-foot-and-mouth disease, occasionally causing aseptic meningitis and encephalitis in tropical and subtropical regions. Kalanchoe gracilis, Da-Huan-Hun, is a Chinese folk medicine for treating pain and inflammation, exhibiting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Our prior report (2012 cited K. gracilis leaf extract as moderately active against EV71 and CoxA16. This study further rates antienteroviral potential of K. gracilis stem (KGS extract to identify potent antiviral fractions and components. The extract moderately inhibits viral cytopathicity and virus yield, as well as in vitro replication of EV71 (IC50 = 75.18 μg/mL and CoxA16 (IC50 = 81.41 μg/mL. Ethyl acetate (EA fraction of KGS extract showed greater antiviral activity than that of n-butanol or aqueous fraction: IC50 values of 4.21 μg/mL against EV71 and 9.08 μg/mL against CoxA16. HPLC analysis, UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, and plaque reduction assay indicate that eupafolin is a vital component of EA fraction showing potent activity against EV71 (IC50 = 1.39 μM and CoxA16 (IC50 = 5.24 μM. Eupafolin specifically lessened virus-induced upregulation of IL-6 and RANTES by inhibiting virus-induced ERK1/2, AP-1, and STAT3 signals. Anti-enteroviral potency of KGS EA fraction and eupafolin shows the clinical potential against EV71 and CoxA16 infection.

  14. A simple, rapid, and sensitive system for the evaluation of anti-viral drugs in rats

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    Li, Xiaoguang [Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine/Division of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Sendai 980-8575 (Japan); Department of Medical Microbiology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150086 (China); Center for AIDS Research, Kumamoto University, 2-2-1 Honjo, Kumamoto 860-0811 (Japan); Qian, Hua [Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine/Division of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Sendai 980-8575 (Japan); Center for AIDS Research, Kumamoto University, 2-2-1 Honjo, Kumamoto 860-0811 (Japan); Miyamoto, Fusako [Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine/Division of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Sendai 980-8575 (Japan); Naito, Takeshi [Laboratory of Virus Control, Institute for Virus Research, Kyoto University, 53 Kawaramachi, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507 (Japan); Kawaji, Kumi [Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine/Division of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Sendai 980-8575 (Japan); Kajiwara, Kazumi [Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501 (Japan); JST Innovation Plaza Kyoto, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Nishigyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8245 (Japan); Hattori, Toshio [Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine/Division of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Sendai 980-8575 (Japan); Matsuoka, Masao [Laboratory of Virus Control, Institute for Virus Research, Kyoto University, 53 Kawaramachi, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507 (Japan); Watanabe, Kentaro; Oishi, Shinya; Fujii, Nobutaka [Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501 (Japan); and others

    2012-07-27

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We established a novel, simple and rapid in vivo system for evaluation of anti-HIV-1 drugs with rats. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The system may be applicable for other antiviral drugs, and/or useful for initial screening in vivo. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer In this system, TRI-1144 displayed the most potent anti-HIV-1 activity in vivo. -- Abstract: The lack of small animal models for the evaluation of anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) agents hampers drug development. Here, we describe the establishment of a simple and rapid evaluation system in a rat model without animal infection facilities. After intraperitoneal administration of test drugs to rats, antiviral activity in the sera was examined by the MAGI assay. Recently developed inhibitors for HIV-1 entry, two CXCR4 antagonists, TF14016 and FC131, and four fusion inhibitors, T-20, T-20EK, SC29EK, and TRI-1144, were evaluated using HIV-1{sub IIIB} and HIV-1{sub BaL} as representative CXCR4- and CCR5-tropic HIV-1 strains, respectively. CXCR4 antagonists were shown to only possess anti-HIV-1{sub IIIB} activity, whereas fusion inhibitors showed both anti-HIV-1{sub IIIB} and anti-HIV-1{sub BaL} activities in rat sera. These results indicate that test drugs were successfully processed into the rat sera and could be detected by the MAGI assay. In this system, TRI-1144 showed the most potent and sustained antiviral activity. Sera from animals not administered drugs showed substantial anti-HIV-1 activity, indicating that relatively high dose or activity of the test drugs might be needed. In conclusion, the novel rat system established here, 'phenotypic drug evaluation', may be applicable for the evaluation of various antiviral drugs in vivo.

  15. A simple, rapid, and sensitive system for the evaluation of anti-viral drugs in rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Xiaoguang; Qian, Hua; Miyamoto, Fusako; Naito, Takeshi; Kawaji, Kumi; Kajiwara, Kazumi; Hattori, Toshio; Matsuoka, Masao; Watanabe, Kentaro; Oishi, Shinya; Fujii, Nobutaka

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► We established a novel, simple and rapid in vivo system for evaluation of anti-HIV-1 drugs with rats. ► The system may be applicable for other antiviral drugs, and/or useful for initial screening in vivo. ► In this system, TRI-1144 displayed the most potent anti-HIV-1 activity in vivo. -- Abstract: The lack of small animal models for the evaluation of anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) agents hampers drug development. Here, we describe the establishment of a simple and rapid evaluation system in a rat model without animal infection facilities. After intraperitoneal administration of test drugs to rats, antiviral activity in the sera was examined by the MAGI assay. Recently developed inhibitors for HIV-1 entry, two CXCR4 antagonists, TF14016 and FC131, and four fusion inhibitors, T-20, T-20EK, SC29EK, and TRI-1144, were evaluated using HIV-1 IIIB and HIV-1 BaL as representative CXCR4- and CCR5-tropic HIV-1 strains, respectively. CXCR4 antagonists were shown to only possess anti-HIV-1 IIIB activity, whereas fusion inhibitors showed both anti-HIV-1 IIIB and anti-HIV-1 BaL activities in rat sera. These results indicate that test drugs were successfully processed into the rat sera and could be detected by the MAGI assay. In this system, TRI-1144 showed the most potent and sustained antiviral activity. Sera from animals not administered drugs showed substantial anti-HIV-1 activity, indicating that relatively high dose or activity of the test drugs might be needed. In conclusion, the novel rat system established here, “phenotypic drug evaluation”, may be applicable for the evaluation of various antiviral drugs in vivo.

  16. Antibody complementarity-determining regions (CDRs can display differential antimicrobial, antiviral and antitumor activities.

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    Luciano Polonelli

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Complementarity-determining regions (CDRs are immunoglobulin (Ig hypervariable domains that determine specific antibody (Ab binding. We have shown that synthetic CDR-related peptides and many decapeptides spanning the variable region of a recombinant yeast killer toxin-like antiidiotypic Ab are candidacidal in vitro. An alanine-substituted decapeptide from the variable region of this Ab displayed increased cytotoxicity in vitro and/or therapeutic effects in vivo against various bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses. The possibility that isolated CDRs, represented by short synthetic peptides, may display antimicrobial, antiviral and antitumor activities irrespective of Ab specificity for a given antigen is addressed here. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: CDR-based synthetic peptides of murine and human monoclonal Abs directed to: a a protein epitope of Candida albicans cell wall stress mannoprotein; b a synthetic peptide containing well-characterized B-cell and T-cell epitopes; c a carbohydrate blood group A substance, showed differential inhibitory activities in vitro, ex vivo and/or in vivo against C. albicans, HIV-1 and B16F10-Nex2 melanoma cells, conceivably involving different mechanisms of action. Antitumor activities involved peptide-induced caspase-dependent apoptosis. Engineered peptides, obtained by alanine substitution of Ig CDR sequences, and used as surrogates of natural point mutations, showed further differential increased/unaltered/decreased antimicrobial, antiviral and/or antitumor activities. The inhibitory effects observed were largely independent of the specificity of the native Ab and involved chiefly germline encoded CDR1 and CDR2 of light and heavy chains. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The high frequency of bioactive peptides based on CDRs suggests that Ig molecules are sources of an unlimited number of sequences potentially active against infectious agents and tumor cells. The easy production and low cost of small

  17. Targeting membrane-bound viral RNA synthesis reveals potent inhibition of diverse coronaviruses including the middle East respiratory syndrome virus.

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    Anna Lundin

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Coronaviruses raise serious concerns as emerging zoonotic viruses without specific antiviral drugs available. Here we screened a collection of 16671 diverse compounds for anti-human coronavirus 229E activity and identified an inhibitor, designated K22, that specifically targets membrane-bound coronaviral RNA synthesis. K22 exerts most potent antiviral activity after virus entry during an early step of the viral life cycle. Specifically, the formation of double membrane vesicles (DMVs, a hallmark of coronavirus replication, was greatly impaired upon K22 treatment accompanied by near-complete inhibition of viral RNA synthesis. K22-resistant viruses contained substitutions in non-structural protein 6 (nsp6, a membrane-spanning integral component of the viral replication complex implicated in DMV formation, corroborating that K22 targets membrane bound viral RNA synthesis. Besides K22 resistance, the nsp6 mutants induced a reduced number of DMVs, displayed decreased specific infectivity, while RNA synthesis was not affected. Importantly, K22 inhibits a broad range of coronaviruses, including Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV, and efficient inhibition was achieved in primary human epithelia cultures representing the entry port of human coronavirus infection. Collectively, this study proposes an evolutionary conserved step in the life cycle of positive-stranded RNA viruses, the recruitment of cellular membranes for viral replication, as vulnerable and, most importantly, druggable target for antiviral intervention. We expect this mode of action to serve as a paradigm for the development of potent antiviral drugs to combat many animal and human virus infections.

  18. Substituted 3-Benzylcoumarins as Allosteric MEK1 Inhibitors: Design, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation as Antiviral Agents

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    Ping Xu

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available In order to find novel antiviral agents, a series of allosteric MEK1 inhibitors were designed and synthesized. Based on docking results, multiple optimizations were made on the coumarin scaffold. Some of the derivatives showed excellent MEK1 binding affinity in the appropriate enzymatic assays and displayed obvious inhibitory effects on the ERK pathway in a cellular assay. These compounds also significantly inhibited virus (EV71 replication in HEK293 and RD cells. Several compounds showed potential as agents for the treatment of viral infective diseases, with the most potent compound 18 showing an IC50 value of 54.57 nM in the MEK1 binding assay.

  19. Rigid amphipathic fusion inhibitors demonstrate antiviral activity against African swine fever virus.

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    Hakobyan, Astghik; Galindo, Inmaculada; Nañez, Almudena; Arabyan, Erik; Karalyan, Zaven; Chistov, Alexey A; Streshnev, Philipp P; Korshun, Vladimir A; Alonso, Covadonga; Zakaryan, Hovakim

    2018-01-01

    Rigid amphipathic fusion inhibitors (RAFIs) are a family of nucleoside derivatives that inhibit the infectivity of several enveloped viruses by interacting with virion envelope lipids and inhibiting fusion between viral and cellular membranes. Here we tested the antiviral activity of two RAFIs, 5-(Perylen-3-ylethynyl)-arabino-uridine (aUY11) and 5-(Perylen-3-ylethynyl)uracil-1-acetic acid (cm1UY11) against African swine fever virus (ASFV), for which no effective vaccine is available. Both compounds displayed a potent, dose-dependent inhibitory effect on ASFV infection in Vero cells. The major antiviral effect was observed when aUY11 and cm1UY11 were added at early stages of infection and maintained during the complete viral cycle. Furthermore, virucidal assay revealed a significant extracellular anti-ASFV activity for both compounds. We also found decrease in the synthesis of early and late viral proteins in Vero cells treated with cm1UY11. Finally, the inhibitory effect of aUY11 and cm1UY11 on ASFV infection in porcine alveolar macrophages was confirmed. Overall, our study has identified novel anti-ASFV compounds with potential for future therapeutic developments.

  20. Antiviral agents: structural basis of action and rational design.

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    Menéndez-Arias, Luis; Gago, Federico

    2013-01-01

    During the last 30 years, significant progress has been made in the development of novel antiviral drugs, mainly crystallizing in the establishment of potent antiretroviral therapies and the approval of drugs inhibiting hepatitis C virus replication. Although major targets of antiviral intervention involve intracellular processes required for the synthesis of viral proteins and nucleic acids, a number of inhibitors blocking virus assembly, budding, maturation, entry or uncoating act on virions or viral capsids. In this review, we focus on the drug discovery process while presenting the currently used methodologies to identify novel antiviral drugs by using a computer-based approach. We provide examples illustrating structure-based antiviral drug development, specifically neuraminidase inhibitors against influenza virus (e.g. oseltamivir and zanamivir) and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 protease inhibitors (i.e. the development of darunavir from early peptidomimetic compounds such as saquinavir). A number of drugs in preclinical development acting against picornaviruses, hepatitis B virus and human immunodeficiency virus and their mechanism of action are presented to show how viral capsids can be exploited as targets of antiviral therapy.

  1. Broad and potent antiviral activity of the NAE inhibitor MLN4924.

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    Le-Trilling, Vu Thuy Khanh; Megger, Dominik A; Katschinski, Benjamin; Landsberg, Christine D; Rückborn, Meike U; Tao, Sha; Krawczyk, Adalbert; Bayer, Wibke; Drexler, Ingo; Tenbusch, Matthias; Sitek, Barbara; Trilling, Mirko

    2016-02-01

    In terms of infected human individuals, herpesviruses range among the most successful virus families. Subclinical herpesviral infections in healthy individuals contrast with life-threatening syndromes under immunocompromising and immunoimmature conditions. Based on our finding that cytomegaloviruses interact with Cullin Roc ubiquitin ligases (CRLs) in the context of interferon antagonism, we systematically assessed viral dependency on CRLs by utilizing the drug MLN4924. CRL activity is regulated through the conjugation of Cullins with the ubiquitin-like molecule Nedd8. By inhibiting the Nedd8-activating Enzyme (NAE), MLN4924 interferes with Nedd8 conjugation and CRL activity. MLN4924 exhibited pronounced antiviral activity against mouse and human cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus (HSV)- 1 (including multi-drug resistant clinical isolates), HSV-2, adeno and influenza viruses. Human cytomegalovirus genome amplification was blocked at nanomolar MLN4924 concentrations. Global proteome analyses revealed that MLN4924 blocks cytomegaloviral replication despite increased IE1 amounts. Expression of dominant negative Cullins assigned this IE regulation to defined Cullin molecules and phenocopied the antiviral effect of MLN4924.

  2. Epimedium koreanum Nakai Displays Broad Spectrum of Antiviral Activity in Vitro and in Vivo by Inducing Cellular Antiviral State

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Won-Kyung Cho

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Epimedium koreanum Nakai has been extensively used in traditional Korean and Chinese medicine to treat a variety of diseases. Despite the plant’s known immune modulatory potential and chemical make-up, scientific information on its antiviral properties and mode of action have not been completely investigated. In this study, the broad antiviral spectrum and mode of action of an aqueous extract from Epimedium koreanum Nakai was evaluated in vitro, and moreover, the protective effect against divergent influenza A subtypes was determined in BALB/c mice. An effective dose of Epimedium koreanum Nakai markedly reduced the replication of Influenza A Virus (PR8, Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV, Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV and Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV in RAW264.7 and HEK293T cells. Mechanically, we found that an aqueous extract from Epimedium koreanum Nakai induced the secretion of type I IFN and pro-inflammatory cytokines and the subsequent stimulation of the antiviral state in cells. Among various components present in the extract, quercetin was confirmed to have striking antiviral properties. The oral administration of Epimedium koreanum Nakai exhibited preventive effects on BALB/c mice against lethal doses of highly pathogenic influenza A subtypes (H1N1, H5N2, H7N3 and H9N2. Therefore, an extract of Epimedium koreanum Nakai and its components play roles as immunomodulators in the innate immune response, and may be potential candidates for prophylactic or therapeutic treatments against diverse viruses in animal and humans.

  3. Broad-spectrum antiviral properties of andrographolide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Swati; Mishra, K P; Ganju, Lilly

    2017-03-01

    Andrographolide, a diterpenoid, is known for its anti-inflammatory effects. It can be isolated from various plants of the genus Andrographis, commonly known as 'creat'. This purified compound has been tested for its anti-inflammatory effects in various stressful conditions, such as ischemia, pyrogenesis, arthritis, hepatic or neural toxicity, carcinoma, and oxidative stress, Apart from its anti-inflammatory effects, andrographolide also exhibits immunomodulatory effects by effectively enhancing cytotoxic T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, phagocytosis, and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). All these properties of andrographolide form the foundation for the use of this miraculous compound to restrain virus replication and virus-induced pathogenesis. The present article covers antiviral properties of andrographolide in variety of viral infections, with the hope of developing of a new highly potent antiviral drug with multiple effects.

  4. Evaluation of the combination effect of different antiviral compounds against HIV in vitro

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, A M; Nielsen, C; Mathiesen, Lars Reinhardt

    1993-01-01

    by combining many evaluated antiviral agents with AZT. We observed a difference in the degree of synergism depending on the evaluated compound; the results indicate that compounds with the same target in the viral replicative cycle (ddI: 2',3'-dideoxyinosine, didanosine; d4T: 2',3'-dideoxy-2......3'-azido-3'deoxythymidine (AZT), a clinically used anti-HIV compound, was evaluated for antiviral effect on HIV infection in combination with other antiviral compounds in vitro. Interactions were evaluated by the median-effect principle and the isobologram technique. Synergistic effect was obtained...... with the adhesion/penetration process of virus (ConA: Concanavalin A; DS: dextran sulfate) were most potent with AZT when used in rather high concentrations. At this moment in the HIV epidemic, these observations suggest that combinations of antiviral compounds should be evaluated in clinical trials, with the major...

  5. Antiviral activity of some South American medicinal plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abad, M J; Bermejo, P; Sanchez Palomino, S; Chiriboga, X; Carrasco, L

    1999-03-01

    Folk medicinal plants are potential sources of useful therapeutic compounds including some with antiviral activities. Extracts prepared from 10 South American medicinal plants (Baccharis trinervis, Baccharis teindalensis, Eupatorium articulatum, Eupatorium glutinosum, Tagetes pusilla, Neurolaena lobata, Conyza floribunda, Phytolacca bogotensis, Phytolacca rivinoides and Heisteria acuminata) were screened for in vitro antiviral activity against herpes simplex type I (HSV-1), vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and poliovirus type 1. The most potent inhibition was observed with an aqueous extract of B. trinervis, which inhibited HSV-1 replication by 100% at 50-200 micrograms/mL, without showing cytotoxic effects. Good activities were also found with the ethanol extract of H. acuminata and the aqueous extract of E. articulatum, which exhibited antiviral effects against both DNA and RNA viruses (HSV-1 and VSV, respectively) at 125-250 micrograms/mL. The aqueous extracts of T. pusilla (100-250 micrograms/mL), B. teindalensis (50-125 micrograms/mL) and E. glutinosum (50-125 micrograms/mL) also inhibited the replication of VSV, but none of the extracts tested had any effect on poliovirus replication.

  6. The Antiviral Effect of Baicalin on Enterovirus 71 In Vitro

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiang Li

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Baicalin is a flavonoid compound extracted from Scutellaria roots that has been reported to possess antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral activities. However, the antiviral effect of baicalin on enterovirus 71 (EV71 is still unknown. In this study, we found that baicalin showed inhibitory activity on EV71 infection and was independent of direct virucidal or prophylactic effect and inhibitory viral absorption. The expressions of EV71/3D mRNA and polymerase were significantly blocked by baicalin treatment at early stages of EV71 infection. In addition, baicalin could decrease the expressions of FasL and caspase-3, as well as inhibit the apoptosis of EV71-infected human embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (RD cells. Altogether, these results indicate that baicalin exhibits potent antiviral effect on EV71 infection, probably through inhibiting EV71/3D polymerase expression and Fas/FasL signaling pathways.

  7. Antiviral Inhibition of Enveloped Virus Release by Tetherin/BST-2: Action and Counteraction

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    Stuart J. D. Neil

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Tetherin (BST2/CD317 has been recently recognized as a potent interferon-induced antiviral molecule that inhibits the release of diverse mammalian enveloped virus particles from infected cells. By targeting an immutable structure common to all these viruses, the virion membrane, evasion of this antiviral mechanism has necessitated the development of specific countermeasures that directly inhibit tetherin activity. Here we review our current understanding of the molecular basis of tetherin’s mode of action, the viral countermeasures that antagonize it, and how virus/tetherin interactions may affect viral transmission and pathogenicity.

  8. Antiviral activity of maca (Lepidium meyenii) against human influenza virus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Del Valle Mendoza, Juana; Pumarola, Tomàs; Gonzales, Libertad Alzamora; Del Valle, Luis J

    2014-09-01

    To investigate antiviral activity of maca to reduce viral load in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells infected with influenza type A and B viruses (Flu-A and Flu-B, respectively). Maca were extracted with methanol (1:2, v/v). The cell viability and toxicity of the extracts were evaluated on MDCK cells using method MTT assay. Antiviral activity of compounds against Flu-A and Flu-B viruses was assayed using a test for determining the inhibition of the cytopathic effect on cell culture and multiplex RT-PCR. The methanol extract of maca showed low cytotoxicity and inhibited influenza-induced cytopathic effect significantly, while viral load was reduced via inhibition of viral growth in MDCK infected cells. Maca contains potent inhibitors of Flu-A and Flu-B with a selectivity index [cytotoxic concentration 50%/IC50] of 157.4 and 110.5, respectively. In vitro assays demonstrated that maca has antiviral activity not only against Flu-A (like most antiviral agents) but also Flu-B viruses, providing remarkable therapeutic benefits. Copyright © 2014 Hainan Medical College. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Amphipathic DNA polymers exhibit antiviral activity against systemic Murine Cytomegalovirus infection

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    Juteau Jean-Marc

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Phosphorothioated oligonucleotides (PS-ONs have a sequence-independent, broad spectrum antiviral activity as amphipathic polymers (APs and exhibit potent in vitro antiviral activity against a broad spectrum of herpesviruses: HSV-1, HSV-2, HCMV, VZV, EBV, and HHV-6A/B, and in vivo activity in a murine microbiocide model of genital HSV-2 infection. The activity of these agents against animal cytomegalovirus (CMV infections in vitro and in vivo was therefore investigated. Results In vitro, a 40 mer degenerate AP (REP 9 inhibited both murine CMV (MCMV and guinea pig CMV (GPCMV with an IC50 of 0.045 μM and 0.16 μM, respectively, and a 40 mer poly C AP (REP 9C inhibited MCMV with an IC50 of 0.05 μM. Addition of REP 9 to plaque assays during the first two hours of infection inhibited 78% of plaque formation whereas addition of REP 9 after 10 hours of infection did not significantly reduce the number of plaques, indicating that REP 9 antiviral activity against MCMV occurs at early times after infection. In a murine model of CMV infection, systemic treatment for 5 days significantly reduced virus replication in the spleens and livers of infected mice compared to saline-treated control mice. REP 9 and REP 9C were administered intraperitoneally for 5 consecutive days at 10 mg/kg, starting 2 days prior to MCMV infection. Splenomegaly was observed in infected mice treated with REP 9 but not in control mice or in REP 9 treated, uninfected mice, consistent with mild CpG-like activity. When REP 9C (which lacks CpG motifs was compared to REP 9, it exhibited comparable antiviral activity as REP 9 but was not associated with splenomegaly. This suggests that the direct antiviral activity of APs is the predominant therapeutic mechanism in vivo. Moreover, REP 9C, which is acid stable, was effective when administered orally in combination with known permeation enhancers. Conclusion These studies indicate that APs exhibit potent, well tolerated

  10. A general strategy to endow natural fusion-protein-derived peptides with potent antiviral activity.

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    Antonello Pessi

    Full Text Available Fusion between the viral and target cell membranes is an obligatory step for the infectivity of all enveloped virus, and blocking this process is a clinically validated therapeutic strategy.Viral fusion is driven by specialized proteins which, although specific to each virus, act through a common mechanism, the formation of a complex between two heptad repeat (HR regions. The HR regions are initially separated in an intermediate termed "prehairpin", which bridges the viral and cell membranes, and then fold onto each other to form a 6-helical bundle (6HB, driving the two membranes to fuse. HR-derived peptides can inhibit viral infectivity by binding to the prehairpin intermediate and preventing its transition to the 6HB.The antiviral activity of HR-derived peptides differs considerably among enveloped viruses. For weak inhibitors, potency can be increased by peptide engineering strategies, but sequence-specific optimization is time-consuming. In seeking ways to increase potency without changing the native sequence, we previously reported that attachment to the HR peptide of a cholesterol group ("cholesterol-tagging" dramatically increases its antiviral potency, and simultaneously increases its half-life in vivo. We show here that antiviral potency may be increased by combining cholesterol-tagging with dimerization of the HR-derived sequence, using as examples human parainfluenza virus, Nipah virus, and HIV-1. Together, cholesterol-tagging and dimerization may represent strategies to boost HR peptide potency to levels that in some cases may be compatible with in vivo use, possibly contributing to emergency responses to outbreaks of existing or novel viruses.

  11. Fluoxetine Is a Potent Inhibitor of Coxsackievirus Replication

    OpenAIRE

    Zuo, Jun; Quinn, Kevin K.; Kye, Steve; Cooper, Paige; Damoiseaux, Robert; Krogstad, Paul

    2012-01-01

    No antiviral drugs currently exist for the treatment of enterovirus infections, which are often severe and potentially life threatening. Molecular screening of small molecule libraries identified fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, as a potent inhibitor of coxsackievirus replication. Fluoxetine did not interfere with either viral entry or translation of the viral genome. Instead, fluoxetine and its metabolite norfluoxetine markedly reduced the synthesis of viral RNA and prot...

  12. Perspective of Use of Antiviral Peptides against Influenza Virus

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    Sylvie Skalickova

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The threat of a worldwide influenza pandemic has greatly increased over the past decade with the emergence of highly virulent avian influenza strains. The increased frequency of drug-resistant influenza strains against currently available antiviral drugs requires urgent development of new strategies for antiviral therapy, too. The research in the field of therapeutic peptides began to develop extensively in the second half of the 20th century. Since then, the mechanisms of action for several peptides and their antiviral prospect received large attention due to the global threat posed by viruses. Here, we discussed the therapeutic properties of peptides used in influenza treatment. Peptides with antiviral activity against influenza can be divided into three main groups. First, entry blocker peptides such as a Flupep that interact with influenza hemagglutinin, block its binding to host cells and prevent viral fusion. Second, several peptides display virucidal activity, disrupting viral envelopes, e.g., Melittin. Finally, a third set of peptides interacts with the viral polymerase complex and act as viral replication inhibitors such as PB1 derived peptides. Here, we present a review of the current literature describing the antiviral activity, mechanism and future therapeutic potential of these influenza antiviral peptides.

  13. Structure-Activity Relationships of Acyclic Selenopurine Nucleosides as Antiviral Agents

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    Pramod K. Sahu

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available A series of acyclic selenopurine nucleosides 3a–f and 4a–g were synthesized based on the bioisosteric rationale between oxygen and selenium, and then evaluated for antiviral activity. Among the compounds tested, seleno-acyclovir (4a exhibited the most potent anti-herpes simplex virus (HSV-1 (EC50 = 1.47 µM and HSV-2 (EC50 = 6.34 µM activities without cytotoxicity up to 100 µM, while 2,6-diaminopurine derivatives 4e–g exhibited significant anti-human cytomegalovirus (HCMV activity, which is slightly more potent than the guanine derivative 4d, indicating that they might act as prodrugs of seleno-ganciclovir (4d.

  14. Forging a potent vaccine adjuvant: CpG ODN/cationic peptide nanorings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gungor, Bilgi; Yagci, Fuat Cem; Gursel, Ihsan; Gursel, Mayda

    Type I interferon inducers may potentially be engineered to function as antiviral and anticancer agents, or alternatively, vaccine adjuvants, all of which may have clinical applications. We recently described a simple strategy to convert a Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) agonist devoid of interferon α (IFNα) stimulating activity into a robust Type I interferon inducer with potent vaccine adjuvant activity.

  15. Quantitative autoradiographic mapping of herpes simplex virus encephalitis with a radiolabeled antiviral drug

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saito, Y.; Price, R.W.; Rottenberg, D.A.; Fox, J.J.; Su, T.L.; Watanabe, K.A.; Philips, F.S.

    1982-01-01

    2'-Fluoro-5-methyl-1-ν-D-arabinosyluracil (FMAU) labeled with carbon-14 was used to image herpes simplex virus type 1-infected regions of rat brain by quantitative autoradiography. FMAU is a potent antiviral pyrimidine nucleoside which is selectively phosphorylated by virus-coded thymidine kinase. When the labeled FMAU was administered 6 hours before the rats were killed, the selective uptake and concentration of the drug and its metabolites by infected cells (defined by immunoperoxidase staining of viral antigens) allowed quantitative definition and mapping of HSV-1-infected structures in autoradiograms of brain sections. These results shown that quantitative autoradiography can be used to characterize the local metabolism of antiviral drugs by infected cells in vivo. They also suggest that the selective uptake of drugs that exploit viral thymidine kinase for their antiviral effect can, by appropriate labeling, be used in conjunction with clinical neuroimaging techniques to define infected regions of human brain, thereby providing a new approach to the diagnosis of herpes encephalitis in man

  16. Phage-Displayed Peptides Selected to Bind Envelope Glycoprotein Show Antiviral Activity against Dengue Virus Serotype 2

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    Carolina de la Guardia

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Dengue virus is a growing public health threat that affects hundreds of million peoples every year and leave huge economic and social damage. The virus is transmitted by mosquitoes and the incidence of the disease is increasing, among other causes, due to the geographical expansion of the vector’s range and the lack of effectiveness in public health interventions in most prevalent countries. So far, no highly effective vaccine or antiviral has been developed for this virus. Here we employed phage display technology to identify peptides able to block the DENV2. A random peptide library presented in M13 phages was screened with recombinant dengue envelope and its fragment domain III. After four rounds of panning, several binding peptides were identified, synthesized, and tested against the virus. Three peptides were able to block the infectivity of the virus while not being toxic to the target cells. Blind docking simulations were done to investigate the possible mode of binding, showing that all peptides appear to bind domain III of the protein and may be mostly stabilized by hydrophobic interactions. These results are relevant to the development of novel therapeutics against this important virus.

  17. Light-activated nanotube–porphyrin conjugates as effective antiviral agents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Banerjee, Indrani; Douaisi, Marc P; Mondal, Dhananjoy; Kane, Ravi S

    2012-01-01

    Porphyrins have been used for photodynamic therapy (PDT) against a wide range of targets like bacteria, viruses and tumor cells. In this work, we report porphyrin-conjugated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (NT-P) as potent antiviral agents. Specifically, we used Protoporphyrin IX (PPIX), which we attached to acid-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs). We decided to use carbon nanotubes as scaffolds because of their ease of recovery from a solution through filtration. In the presence of visible light, NT-P was found to significantly reduce the ability of Influenza A virus to infect mammalian cells. NT-P may be used effectively against influenza viruses with little or no chance of them developing resistance to the treatment. Furthermore, NT-P can be easily recovered through filtration which offers a facile strategy to reuse the active porphyrin moiety to its fullest extent. Thus NT-P conjugates represent a new approach for preparing ex vivo reusable antiviral agents. (paper)

  18. Potent and selective inhibition of pathogenic viruses by engineered ubiquitin variants.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Zhang

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The recent Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV, Ebola and Zika virus outbreaks exemplify the continued threat of (re-emerging viruses to human health, and our inability to rapidly develop effective therapeutic countermeasures. Many viruses, including MERS-CoV and the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV encode deubiquitinating (DUB enzymes that are critical for viral replication and pathogenicity. They bind and remove ubiquitin (Ub and interferon stimulated gene 15 (ISG15 from cellular proteins to suppress host antiviral innate immune responses. A variety of viral DUBs (vDUBs, including the MERS-CoV papain-like protease, are responsible for cleaving the viral replicase polyproteins during replication, and are thereby critical components of the viral replication cycle. Together, this makes vDUBs highly attractive antiviral drug targets. However, structural similarity between the catalytic cores of vDUBs and human DUBs complicates the development of selective small molecule vDUB inhibitors. We have thus developed an alternative strategy to target the vDUB activity through a rational protein design approach. Here, we report the use of phage-displayed ubiquitin variant (UbV libraries to rapidly identify potent and highly selective protein-based inhibitors targeting the DUB domains of MERS-CoV and CCHFV. UbVs bound the vDUBs with high affinity and specificity to inhibit deubiquitination, deISGylation and in the case of MERS-CoV also viral replicative polyprotein processing. Co-crystallization studies further revealed critical molecular interactions between UbVs and MERS-CoV or CCHFV vDUBs, accounting for the observed binding specificity and high affinity. Finally, expression of UbVs during MERS-CoV infection reduced infectious progeny titers by more than four orders of magnitude, demonstrating the remarkable potency of UbVs as antiviral agents. Our results thereby establish a strategy to produce protein-based inhibitors

  19. Identification of Novel 5,6-Dimethoxyindan-1-one Derivatives as Antiviral Agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patil, Siddappa A; Patil, Vikrant; Patil, Renukadevi; Beaman, Kenneth; Patil, Shivaputra A

    2017-01-01

    Discovery of novel antiviral agents is essential because viral infection continues to threaten human life globally. Various heterocyclic small molecules have been developed as antiviral agents. The 5,6-dimethoxyindan-1-on nucleus is of considerable interest as this ring is the key constituent in a range of bioactive compounds, both naturally occurring and synthetic, and often of considerable complexity. The main purpose of this research was to discover and develop small molecule heterocycles as broad-spectrum of antiviral agents. A focused small set of 5,6-dimethoxyindan-1-one analogs (6-8) along with a thiopene derivative (9) was screened for selected viruses (Vaccinia virus - VACA, Human papillomavirus - HPV, Zika virus - ZIKV, Dengue virus - DENV, Measles virus - MV, Poliovirus 3 - PV, Rift Valley fever virus - RVFV, Tacaribe virus - TCRV, Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus - VEEV, Herpes simplex virus 1 -HSV-1 and Human cytomegalovirus - HCMV) using the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)'s Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (DMID) antiviral screening program. These molecules demonstrated moderate to excellent antiviral activity towards variety of viruses. The 5,6-dimethoxyindan-1-one analog (7) demonstrated high efficacy towards vaccinia virus (EC50: 30.00 µM) in secondary plaque reduction assay. The thiophene analog (9) has shown very good viral inhibition towards several viruses such as Human papillomavirus, Measles virus, Rift Valley fever virus, Tacaribe virus and Herpes simplex virus 1. Our research identified a novel 5,6-dimethoxyindan-1-one analog (compound 7), as a potent antiviral agent for vaccinia virus, and heterocyclic chalcone analog (compound 9) as a broad spectrum antiviral agent. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  20. Phytochemistry, cytotoxicity and antiviral activity of Eleusine indica (sambau)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iberahim, Rashidah; Yaacob, Wan Ahmad; Ibrahim, Nazlina

    2015-09-01

    Goose grass also known as Eleusine indica (EI) is a local medicinal plant that displays antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticancer activities. The present study is to determine the phytochemical constituents, cytotoxicity and antiviral activities for both crude extract and fraction obtained from the plant. The crude extract contained more secondary metabolites compared to the hexane fraction as gauged using standard phytochemical tests. Cytotoxicity screening against Vero cells using MTT assay showed that the CC50 values for crude extract and hexane fraction were 2.07 and 5.62 mg/ml respectively. The antiviral activity towards Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) was determined using plaque reduction assay. The selective indices (SI = CC50 / EC50) for both methanol extract and hexane fraction were 12.2 and 6.2 respectively. These results demonstrate that the extract prepared from E. indica possesses phytochemical compound that was non cytotoxic to the cell with potential antiviral activity.

  1. Antiviral Screening of Multiple Compounds against Ebola Virus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dowall, Stuart D; Bewley, Kevin; Watson, Robert J; Vasan, Seshadri S; Ghosh, Chandradhish; Konai, Mohini M; Gausdal, Gro; Lorens, James B; Long, Jason; Barclay, Wendy; Garcia-Dorival, Isabel; Hiscox, Julian; Bosworth, Andrew; Taylor, Irene; Easterbrook, Linda; Pitman, James; Summers, Sian; Chan-Pensley, Jenny; Funnell, Simon; Vipond, Julia; Charlton, Sue; Haldar, Jayanta; Hewson, Roger; Carroll, Miles W

    2016-10-27

    In light of the recent outbreak of Ebola virus (EBOV) disease in West Africa, there have been renewed efforts to search for effective antiviral countermeasures. A range of compounds currently available with broad antimicrobial activity have been tested for activity against EBOV. Using live EBOV, eighteen candidate compounds were screened for antiviral activity in vitro. The compounds were selected on a rational basis because their mechanisms of action suggested that they had the potential to disrupt EBOV entry, replication or exit from cells or because they had displayed some antiviral activity against EBOV in previous tests. Nine compounds caused no reduction in viral replication despite cells remaining healthy, so they were excluded from further analysis (zidovudine; didanosine; stavudine; abacavir sulphate; entecavir; JB1a; Aimspro; celgosivir; and castanospermine). A second screen of the remaining compounds and the feasibility of appropriateness for in vivo testing removed six further compounds (ouabain; omeprazole; esomeprazole; Gleevec; D-LANA-14; and Tasigna). The three most promising compounds (17-DMAG; BGB324; and NCK-8) were further screened for in vivo activity in the guinea pig model of EBOV disease. Two of the compounds, BGB324 and NCK-8, showed some effect against lethal infection in vivo at the concentrations tested, which warrants further investigation. Further, these data add to the body of knowledge on the antiviral activities of multiple compounds against EBOV and indicate that the scientific community should invest more effort into the development of novel and specific antiviral compounds to treat Ebola virus disease.

  2. Antiviral Screening of Multiple Compounds against Ebola Virus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stuart D. Dowall

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available In light of the recent outbreak of Ebola virus (EBOV disease in West Africa, there have been renewed efforts to search for effective antiviral countermeasures. A range of compounds currently available with broad antimicrobial activity have been tested for activity against EBOV. Using live EBOV, eighteen candidate compounds were screened for antiviral activity in vitro. The compounds were selected on a rational basis because their mechanisms of action suggested that they had the potential to disrupt EBOV entry, replication or exit from cells or because they had displayed some antiviral activity against EBOV in previous tests. Nine compounds caused no reduction in viral replication despite cells remaining healthy, so they were excluded from further analysis (zidovudine; didanosine; stavudine; abacavir sulphate; entecavir; JB1a; Aimspro; celgosivir; and castanospermine. A second screen of the remaining compounds and the feasibility of appropriateness for in vivo testing removed six further compounds (ouabain; omeprazole; esomeprazole; Gleevec; D-LANA-14; and Tasigna. The three most promising compounds (17-DMAG; BGB324; and NCK-8 were further screened for in vivo activity in the guinea pig model of EBOV disease. Two of the compounds, BGB324 and NCK-8, showed some effect against lethal infection in vivo at the concentrations tested, which warrants further investigation. Further, these data add to the body of knowledge on the antiviral activities of multiple compounds against EBOV and indicate that the scientific community should invest more effort into the development of novel and specific antiviral compounds to treat Ebola virus disease.

  3. Antiviral Activity of Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Skin Extract Against Human Influenza Viruses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Makau, Juliann Nzembi; Watanabe, Ken; Mohammed, Magdy M D; Nishida, Noriyuki

    2018-05-30

    The high propensity of influenza viruses to develop resistance to antiviral drugs necessitates the continuing search for new therapeutics. Peanut skins, which are low-value byproducts of the peanut industry, are known to contain high levels of polyphenols. In this study, we investigated the antiviral activity of ethanol extracts of peanut skins against various influenza viruses using cell-based assays. Extracts with a higher polyphenol content exhibited higher antiviral activities, suggesting that the active components are the polyphenols. An extract prepared from roasted peanut skins effectively inhibited the replication of influenza virus A/WSN/33 with a half maximal inhibitory concentration of 1.3 μg/mL. Plaque assay results suggested that the extract inhibits the early replication stages of the influenza virus. It demonstrated activity against both influenza type A and type B viruses. Notably, the extract exhibited a potent activity against a clinical isolate of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, which had reduced sensitivity to oseltamivir. Moreover, a combination of peanut skin extract with the anti-influenza drugs, oseltamivir and amantadine, synergistically increased their antiviral activity. These data demonstrate the potential application of peanut skin extract in the development of new therapeutic options for influenza management.

  4. Design and evaluation of novel interferon lambda analogs with enhanced antiviral activity and improved drug attributes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu D

    2016-01-01

    expression of the antiviral genes MxA and OAS and two of them, analog-6 and -7, displayed an unexpected high potency that is higher than that of type I IFN (IFN-α2a in activating the IFN-stimulated response element (ISRE-luciferase reporter. Importantly, both analog-6 and -7 effectively inhibited replication of hepatitis C virus in Huh-7.5.1 cells, with an IC50 that is comparable to that of IFN-α2a; and consistent with the roles of IFN-λ in mucosal epithelia, both analogs potently inhibited replication of H3N2 influenza A virus in A549 cells. Together, these studies identified two IFN-λ analogs as candidates to be developed as novel antiviral biologics. Keywords: type III interferon, IFN-λ, IL-29, IL-28B, analog, antiviral

  5. Screening for Antiviral Activities of Isolated Compounds from Essential Oils

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akram Astani

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Essential oil of star anise as well as phenylpropanoids and sesquiterpenes, for example, trans-anethole, eugenol, β-eudesmol, farnesol, β-caryophyllene and β-caryophyllene oxide, which are present in many essential oils, were examined for their antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1 in vitro. Antiviral activity was analyzed by plaque reduction assays and mode of antiviral action was determined by addition of the drugs to uninfected cells, to the virus prior to infection or to herpesvirus-infected cells. Star anise oil reduced viral infectivity by >99%, phenylpropanoids inhibited HSV infectivity by about 60–80% and sesquiterpenes suppressed herpes virus infection by 40–98%. Both, star anise essential oil and all isolated compounds exhibited anti-HSV-1 activity by direct inactivation of free virus particles in viral suspension assays. All tested drugs interacted in a dose-dependent manner with herpesvirus particles, thereby inactivating viral infectivity. Star anise oil, rich in trans-anethole, revealed a high selectivity index of 160 against HSV, whereas among the isolated compounds only β-caryophyllene displayed a high selectivity index of 140. The presence of β-caryophyllene in many essential oils might contribute strongly to their antiviral ability. These results indicate that phenylpropanoids and sesquiterpenes present in essential oils contribute to their antiviral activity against HSV.

  6. [Studies on evaluation of natural products for antiviral effects and their applications].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayashi, Toshimitsu

    2008-01-01

    In the search for novel antiviral molecules from natural products, we have discovered various antiviral molecules with characteristic mechanisms of action. Scopadulciol (SDC), isolated from the tropical medicinal plant Scoparia dulcis L., showed stimulatory effects on the antiviral potency of acyclovir (ACV) or ganciclovir (GCV). This effect of SDC was exerted via the activation of viral thymidine kinase (HSV-1 TK) and, as a result, an increase in the cellular concentration of the active form of ACV/GCV, i.e., the triphosphate of ACV or GCV. On the basis of these experimental results, cancer gene therapy using the HSV-1 tk gene and ACV/GCV together with SDC was found to be effective in suppressing the growth of cancer cells in animals. Acidic polysaccharides such as calcium spirulan (Ca-SP) from Spirulina platensis, nostoflan from Nostoc flagelliforme, and a fucoidan from the sporophyll of Undaria pinnatifida (mekabu fucoidan) were also found to be potent inhibitors against several enveloped viruses. Their antiviral potency was dependent on molecular weight and content of the sulfate or carboxyl group as well as counterion species chelating with sulfate groups, indicating the importance of the three-dimensional structure of the molecules. In addition, unlike dextran sulfate, Ca-SP was shown to target not only viral absorption/penetration stages but also some replication stages of progeny viruses after penetration into cells. When mekabu fucoidan or nostoflan was administered with oseltamivir phosphate, their synergistic antiviral effects on influenza A virus were confirmed in vitro as well as in vivo.

  7. Alveolar macrophage–derived type I interferons orchestrate innate immunity to RSV through recruitment of antiviral monocytes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goritzka, Michelle; Makris, Spyridon; Kausar, Fahima; Durant, Lydia R.; Pereira, Catherine; Kumagai, Yutaro; Culley, Fiona J.; Mack, Matthias; Akira, Shizuo

    2015-01-01

    Type I interferons (IFNs) are important for host defense from viral infections, acting to restrict viral production in infected cells and to promote antiviral immune responses. However, the type I IFN system has also been associated with severe lung inflammatory disease in response to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Which cells produce type I IFNs upon RSV infection and how this directs immune responses to the virus, and potentially results in pathological inflammation, is unclear. Here, we show that alveolar macrophages (AMs) are the major source of type I IFNs upon RSV infection in mice. AMs detect RSV via mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS)–coupled retinoic acid–inducible gene 1 (RIG-I)–like receptors (RLRs), and loss of MAVS greatly compromises innate immune restriction of RSV. This is largely attributable to loss of type I IFN–dependent induction of monocyte chemoattractants and subsequent reduced recruitment of inflammatory monocytes (infMo) to the lungs. Notably, the latter have potent antiviral activity and are essential to control infection and lessen disease severity. Thus, infMo recruitment constitutes an important and hitherto underappreciated, cell-extrinsic mechanism of type I IFN–mediated antiviral activity. Dysregulation of this system of host antiviral defense may underlie the development of RSV-induced severe lung inflammation. PMID:25897172

  8. Imidazopyridine-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-8-quinolinamine derivatives with potent activity against HIV-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gudmundsson, Kristjan S; Boggs, Sharon D; Catalano, John G; Svolto, Angilique; Spaltenstein, Andrew; Thomson, Michael; Wheelan, Pat; Jenkinson, Stephen

    2009-11-15

    Synthesis of several novel imidazopyridine-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-8-quinolinamine derivatives with potent activity against HIV are described. Synthetic approaches allowing for variation of the substitution pattern are outlined and resulting changes in antiviral activity and pharmacokinetics are highlighted. Several compounds with low nanomolar anti-HIV activity and oral bioavailability are described.

  9. Using the ferret as an animal model for investigating influenza antiviral effectiveness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ding Yuan Oh

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available The concern of the emergence of a pandemic influenza virus has sparked an increased effort towards the development and testing of novel influenza antivirals. Central to this is the animal model of influenza infection, which has played an important role in understanding treatment effectiveness and the effect of antivirals on host immune responses. Among the different animal models of influenza, ferrets can be considered the most suitable for antiviral studies as they display most of the human-like symptoms following influenza infections, they can be infected with human influenza virus without prior viral adaptation and have the ability to transmit influenza virus efficiently between one another. However, an accurate assessment of the effectiveness of an antiviral treatment in ferrets is dependent on three major experimental considerations encompassing firstly, the volume and titre of virus, and the route of viral inoculation. Secondly, the route and dose of drug administration, and lastly, the different methods used to assess clinical symptoms, viral shedding kinetics and host immune responses in the ferrets. A good understanding of these areas is necessary to achieve data that can accurately inform the human use of influenza antivirals. In this review, we discuss the current progress and the challenges faced in these three major areas when using the ferret model to measure influenza antiviral effectiveness.

  10. Detection of the antiviral activity of epicatechin isolated from Salacia crassifolia (Celastraceae) against Mayaro virus based on protein C homology modelling and virtual screening.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferreira, P G; Ferraz, A C; Figueiredo, J E; Lima, C F; Rodrigues, V G; Taranto, A G; Ferreira, J M S; Brandão, G C; Vieira-Filho, S A; Duarte, L P; de Brito Magalhães, C L; de Magalhães, J C

    2018-02-24

    Mayaro fever, caused by Mayaro virus (MAYV) is a sub-lethal disease with symptoms that are easily confused with those of dengue fever, except for polyarthralgia, which may culminate in physical incapacitation. Recently, outbreaks of MAYV have been documented in metropolitan areas, and to date, there is no therapy or vaccine available. Moreover, there is no information regarding the three-dimensional structure of the viral proteins of MAYV, which is important in the search for antivirals. In this work, we constructed a three-dimensional model of protein C of MAYV by homology modelling, and this was employed in a manner similar to that of receptors in virtual screening studies to evaluate 590 molecules as prospective antiviral agents. In vitro bioassays were utilized to confirm the potential antiviral activity of the flavonoid epicatechin isolated from Salacia crassifolia (Celastraceae). The virtual screening showed that six flavonoids were promising ligands for protein C. The bioassays showed potent antiviral action of epicatechin, which protected the cells from almost all of the effects of viral infection. An effective concentration (EC 50 ) of 0.247 μmol/mL was observed with a selectivity index (SI) of 7. The cytotoxicity assay showed that epicatechin has low toxicity, with a 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC 50 ) greater than 1.723 µmol/mL. Epicatechin was found to be twice as potent as the reference antiviral ribavirin. Furthermore, a replication kinetics assay showed a strong inhibitory effect of epicatechin on MAYV growth, with a reduction of at least four logs in virus production. Our results indicate that epicatechin is a promising candidate for further testing as an antiviral agent against Mayaro virus and other alphaviruses.

  11. Critical challenges and emerging opportunities in hepatitis C virus research in an era of potent antiviral therapy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bartenschlager, Ralf; Baumert, Thomas F.; Bukh, Jens

    2018-01-01

    The development and clinical implementation of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) has revolutionized the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. Infection with any hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype can now be eliminated in more than 95% of patients with short courses of all-oral, well-tolerated drugs, even...

  12. HIV enhancing activity of semen impairs the antiviral efficacy of microbicides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zirafi, Onofrio; Kim, Kyeong-Ae; Roan, Nadia R.; Kluge, Silvia F.; Müller, Janis A.; Jiang, Shibo; Mayer, Benjamin; Greene, Warner C.; Kirchhoff, Frank; Münch, Jan

    2015-01-01

    Topically applied microbicides potently inhibit HIV in vitro but have largely failed to exert protective effects in clinical trials. One possible reason for this discrepancy is that the preclinical testing of microbicides does not faithfully reflect the conditions of HIV sexual transmission. Here, we report that candidate microbicides that target HIV components show greatly reduced antiviral efficacy in the presence of semen, the main vector for HIV transmission. This diminished antiviral activity was dependent on the ability of amyloid fibrils in semen to enhance the infectivity of HIV. Thus, the anti-HIV efficacy of microbicides determined in the absence of semen greatly underestimated the drug concentrations needed to block semen-exposed virus. One notable exception was Maraviroc. This HIV entry inhibitor targets the host cell CCR5 coreceptor and was highly active against both untreated and semen-exposed HIV. These data help explain why microbicides have failed to protect against HIV in clinical trials and suggest that antiviral compounds targeting host factors hold promise for further development. These findings also suggest that the in vitro efficacy of candidate microbicides should be determined in the presence of semen to identify the best candidates for the prevention of HIV sexual transmission. PMID:25391483

  13. Coxsackievirus cloverleaf RNA containing a 5' triphosphate triggers an antiviral response via RIG-I activation.

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    Qian Feng

    Full Text Available Upon viral infections, pattern recognition receptors (PRRs recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs and stimulate an antiviral state associated with the production of type I interferons (IFNs and inflammatory markers. Type I IFNs play crucial roles in innate antiviral responses by inducing expression of interferon-stimulated genes and by activating components of the adaptive immune system. Although pegylated IFNs have been used to treat hepatitis B and C virus infections for decades, they exert substantial side effects that limit their use. Current efforts are directed toward the use of PRR agonists as an alternative approach to elicit host antiviral responses in a manner similar to that achieved in a natural infection. RIG-I is a cytosolic PRR that recognizes 5' triphosphate (5'ppp-containing RNA ligands. Due to its ubiquitous expression profile, induction of the RIG-I pathway provides a promising platform for the development of novel antiviral agents and vaccine adjuvants. In this study, we investigated whether structured RNA elements in the genome of coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3, a picornavirus that is recognized by MDA5 during infection, could activate RIG-I when supplied with 5'ppp. We show here that a 5'ppp-containing cloverleaf (CL RNA structure is a potent RIG-I inducer that elicits an extensive antiviral response that includes induction of classical interferon-stimulated genes, as well as type III IFNs and proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. In addition, we show that prophylactic treatment with CVB3 CL provides protection against various viral infections including dengue virus, vesicular stomatitis virus and enterovirus 71, demonstrating the antiviral efficacy of this RNA ligand.

  14. Activation of cGAS-dependent antiviral responses by DNA intercalating agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pépin, Geneviève; Nejad, Charlotte; Thomas, Belinda J; Ferrand, Jonathan; McArthur, Kate; Bardin, Philip G; Williams, Bryan R G; Gantier, Michael P

    2017-01-09

    Acridine dyes, including proflavine and acriflavine, were commonly used as antiseptics before the advent of penicillins in the mid-1940s. While their mode of action on pathogens was originally attributed to their DNA intercalating activity, work in the early 1970s suggested involvement of the host immune responses, characterized by induction of interferon (IFN)-like activities through an unknown mechanism. We demonstrate here that sub-toxic concentrations of a mixture of acriflavine and proflavine instigate a cyclic-GMP-AMP (cGAMP) synthase (cGAS)-dependent type-I IFN antiviral response. This pertains to the capacity of these compounds to induce low level DNA damage and cytoplasmic DNA leakage, resulting in cGAS-dependent cGAMP-like activity. Critically, acriflavine:proflavine pre-treatment of human primary bronchial epithelial cells significantly reduced rhinovirus infection. Collectively, our findings constitute the first evidence that non-toxic DNA binding agents have the capacity to act as indirect agonists of cGAS, to exert potent antiviral effects in mammalian cells. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  15. SAH derived potent and selective EZH2 inhibitors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kung, Pei-Pei; Huang, Buwen; Zehnder, Luke; Tatlock, John; Bingham, Patrick; Krivacic, Cody; Gajiwala, Ketan; Diehl, Wade; Yu, Xiu; Maegley, Karen A.

    2015-04-01

    A series of novel enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) inhibitors was designed based on the chemical structure of the histone methyltransferase (HMT) inhibitor SAH (S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine). These nucleoside-based EZH2 inhibitors blocked the methylation of nucleosomes at H3K27 in biochemical assays employing both WT PRC2 complex as well as a Y641N mutant PRC2 complex. The most potent compound, 27, displayed IC50’s against both complexes of 270 nM and 70 nM, respectively. To our knowledge, compound 27 is the most potent SAH-derived inhibitor of the EZH2 PRC2 complex yet identified. This compound also displayed improved potency, lipophilic efficiency (LipE), and selectivity profile against other lysine methyltransferases compared with SAH.

  16. [Adenovirus-mediated canine interferon-gamma expression and its antiviral activity against canine parvovirus].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Kao; Jin, Huijun; Zhong, Fei; Li, Xiujin; Neng, Changai; Chen, Huihui; Li, Wenyan; Wen, Jiexia

    2012-11-04

    To construct recombinant adenovirus containing canine interferon-gamma (cIFN-gamma) gene and to investigate its antiviral activity against canine parvovirus in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells (MDCK). [Methods] The cIFN-gamma gene was inserted into adenovirus shuttle plasmid to construct pShuttle3-cIFN-gamma expression vector, from which the cIFN-gamma expression cassette was transferred into the adenovirus genomic plasmid pAdeno-X by specific restriction sites to generate recombinant adenovirus genomic plasmid pAd-cIFN-gamma. The pAd-cIFN-gamma plasmid was linearized by digestion and transfected into human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293T cells to generate the replication-defective cIFN-gamma recombinant adenovirus (Ad-cIFN-gamma). To analyze its anti-canine parvovirus activity, the MDCK cells were pre-infected by Ad-cIFN-gamma recombinant adenovirus, and then infected by canine parvovirus. The antiviral activity of the Ad-cIFN-gamma recombinant adenovirus against parvovirus was analyzed. The recombinant adenovirus containing cIFN-gamma gene was constructed by the ligation method. The recombinant adenovirus could mediates recombinant cIFN-gamma secretory expression in MDCK cells. The Ad-cIFN-gamma recombinant adenovirus could significantly inhibit canine parvovirus replication in MDCK cells pre-infected with the recombinant adenovirus. These results indicate that the Ad-cIFN-gamma recombinant adenovirus has the potent antiviral activity against canine parvovirus. The Ad-cIFN-gamma recombinant adenovirus was successfully constructed by the ligation method and possessed a powerful antiviral activity against canine parvovirus.

  17. Ophthalmic antiviral chemotherapy : An overview

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Athmanathan Sreedharan

    1997-01-01

    Full Text Available Antiviral drug development has been slow due to many factors. One such factor is the difficulty to block the viral replication in the cell without adversely affecting the host cell metabolic activity. Most of the antiviral compounds are analogs of purines and pyramidines. Currently available antiviral drugs mainly inhibit viral nucleic acid synthesis, hence act only on actively replicating viruses. This article presents an overview of some of the commonly used antiviral agents in clinical ophthalmology.

  18. CNS activity of Pokeweed Anti-viral Protein (PAP in mice infected with Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus (LCMV

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tibbles Heather E

    2005-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Others and we have previously described the potent in vivo and in vitro activity of the broad-spectrum antiviral agent PAP (Pokeweed antiviral protein against a wide range of viruses. The purpose of the present study was to further elucidate the anti-viral spectrum of PAP by examining its effects on the survival of mice challenged with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV. Methods We examined the therapeutic effect of PAP in CBA mice inoculated with intracerebral injections of the WE54 strain of LCMV at a 1000 PFU dose level that is lethal to 100% of mice within 7–9 days. Mice were treated either with vehicle or PAP administered intraperitoneally 24 hours prior to, 1 hour prior to and 24 hours, 48 hours 72 hours and 96 hours after virus inoculation. Results PAP exhibits significant in vivo anti- LCMV activity in mice challenged intracerebrally with an otherwise invariably fatal dose of LCMV. At non-toxic dose levels, PAP significantly prolonged survival in the absence of the majority of disease-associated symptoms. The median survival time of PAP-treated mice was >21 days as opposed to 7 days median survival for the control (p = 0.0069. Conclusion Our results presented herein provide unprecedented experimental evidence that PAP exhibits antiviral activity in the CNS of LCMV-infected mice.

  19. Antiviral Activity of Some Plants Used in Nepalese Traditional Medicine

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    M. Rajbhandari

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Methanolic extracts of 41 plant species belonging to 27 families used in the traditional medicine in Nepal have been investigated for in vitro antiviral activity against Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1 and influenza virus A by dye uptake assay in the systems HSV-1/Vero cells and influenza virus A/MDCK cells. The extracts of Astilbe rivularis, Bergenia ciliata, Cassiope fastigiata and Thymus linearis showed potent anti-herpes viral activity. The extracts of Allium oreoprasum, Androsace strigilosa, Asparagus filicinus, Astilbe rivularis, Bergenia ciliata and Verbascum thapsus exhibited strong anti-influenza viral activity. Only the extracts of A. rivularis and B. ciliata demonstrated remarkable activity against both viruses.

  20. Fluorination of Naturally Occurring N6-Benzyladenosine Remarkably Increased Its Antiviral Activity and Selectivity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vladimir E. Oslovsky

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Recently, we demonstrated that the natural cytokinin nucleosides N6-isopentenyladenosine (iPR and N6-benzyladenosine (BAPR exert a potent and selective antiviral effect on the replication of human enterovirus 71. In order to further characterize the antiviral profile of this class of compounds, we generated a series of fluorinated derivatives of BAPR and evaluated their activity on the replication of human enterovirus 71 in a cytopathic effect (CPE reduction assay. The monofluorination of the BAPR-phenyl group changed the selectivity index (SI slightly because of the concomitant high cell toxicity. Interestingly, the incorporation of a second fluorine atom resulted in a dramatic improvement of selectivity. Moreover, N6-trifluoromethylbenzyladenosine derivatives (9–11 exhibited also a very interesting profile, with low cytotoxicity observed. In particular, the analogue N6-(3-trifluoromethylbenzyl-adenosine (10 with a four-fold gain in potency as compared to BAPR and the best SI in the class represents a promising candidate for further development.

  1. The antiviral effect of jiadifenoic acids C against coxsackievirus B3

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miao Ge

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Coxsackievirus B type 3 (CVB3 is one of the major causative pathogens associated with viral meningitis and myocarditis, which are widespread in the human population and especially prevalent in neonates and children. These infections can result in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM and other severe clinical complications. There are no vaccines or drugs approved for the prevention or therapy of CVB3-induced diseases. During screening for anti-CVB3 candidates in our previous studies, we found that jiadifenoic acids C exhibited strong antiviral activities against CVB3 as well as other strains of Coxsackie B viruses (CVBs. The present studies were carried out to evaluate the antiviral activities of jiadifenoic acids C. Results showed that jiadifenoic acids C could reduce CVB3 RNA and proteins synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. Jiadifenoic acids C also had a similar antiviral effect on the pleconaril-resistant variant of CVB3. We further examined the impact of jiadifenoic acids C on the synthesis of viral structural and non-structural proteins, finding that jiadifenoic acids C could reduce VP1 and 3D protein production. A time-course study with Vero cells showed that jiadifenoic acids C displayed significant antiviral activities at 0–6 h after CVB3 inoculation, indicating that jiadifenoic acids C functioned at an early step of CVB3 replication. However, jiadifenoic acids C had no prophylactic effect against CVB3. Taken together, we show that jiadifenoic acids C exhibit strong antiviral activities against all strains of CVB, including the pleconaril-resistant variant. Our study could provide a significant lead for anti-CVB3 drug development.

  2. Combination siRNA therapy against feline coronavirus can delay the emergence of antiviral resistance in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDonagh, Phillip; Sheehy, Paul A; Norris, Jacqueline M

    2015-03-23

    Virulent biotypes of feline coronavirus (FCoV), commonly referred to as feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV), can result in the development of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a typically fatal immune mediated disease for which there is currently no effective antiviral treatment. We previously reported the successful in vitro inhibition of FIPV replication by synthetic siRNA mediated RNA interference (RNAi) in an immortalised cell line (McDonagh et al., 2011). A major challenge facing the development of any antiviral strategy is that of resistance, a problem which is particularly acute for RNAi based therapeutics due to the exquisite sequence specificity of the targeting mechanism. The development of resistance during treatment can be minimised using combination therapy to raise the genetic barrier or using highly potent compounds which result in a more rapid and pronounced reduction in the viral replication rate, thereby reducing the formation of mutant, and potentially resistant viruses. This study investigated the efficacy of combination siRNA therapy and its ability to delay or prevent viral escape. Virus serially passaged through cells treated with a single or dual siRNAs rapidly acquired resistance, with mutations identified in the siRNA target sites. Combination therapy with three siRNA prevented viral escape over the course of five passages. To identify more potent silencing molecules we also compared the efficacy, in terms of potency and duration of action, of canonical versus Dicer-substrate siRNAs for two previously identified effective viral motifs. Dicer-substrate siRNAs showed equivalent or better potency than canonical siRNAs for the target sites investigated, and may be a more appropriate molecule for in vivo use. Combined, these data inform the potential therapeutic application of antiviral RNAi against FIPV. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Antiviral drug resistance and helicase-primase inhibitors of herpes simplex virus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Field, Hugh J; Biswas, Subhajit

    2011-02-01

    A new class of chemical inhibitors has been discovered that interferes with the process of herpesvirus DNA replication. To date, the majority of useful herpesvirus antivirals are nucleoside analogues that block herpesvirus DNA replication by targeting the DNA polymerase. The new helicase-primase inhibitors (HPI) target a different enzyme complex that is also essential for herpesvirus DNA replication. This review will place the HPI in the context of previous work on the nucleoside analogues. Several promising highly potent HPI will be described with a particular focus on the identification of drug-resistance mutations. Several HPI have good pharmacological profiles and are now at the outset of phase II clinical trials. Provided there are no safety issues to stop their progress, this new class of compound will be a major advance in the herpesvirus antiviral field. Furthermore, HPI are likely to have a major impact on the therapy and prevention of herpes simplex virus and varicella zoster in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients alone or in combination with current nucleoside analogues. The possibility of acquired drug-resistance to HPI will then become an issue of great practical importance. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Griffithsin: An Antiviral Lectin with Outstanding Therapeutic Potential

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabrina Lusvarghi

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Griffithsin (GRFT, an algae-derived lectin, is one of the most potent viral entry inhibitors discovered to date. It is currently being developed as a microbicide with broad-spectrum activity against several enveloped viruses. GRFT can inhibit human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infection at picomolar concentrations, surpassing the ability of most anti-HIV agents. The potential to inhibit other viruses as well as parasites has also been demonstrated. Griffithsin’s antiviral activity stems from its ability to bind terminal mannoses present in high-mannose oligosaccharides and crosslink these glycans on the surface of the viral envelope glycoproteins. Here, we review structural and biochemical studies that established mode of action and facilitated construction of GRFT analogs, mechanisms that may lead to resistance, and in vitro and pre-clinical results that support the therapeutic potential of this lectin.

  5. Maraviroc (UK-427,857), a Potent, Orally Bioavailable, and Selective Small-Molecule Inhibitor of Chemokine Receptor CCR5 with Broad-Spectrum Anti-Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Activity

    OpenAIRE

    Dorr, Patrick; Westby, Mike; Dobbs, Susan; Griffin, Paul; Irvine, Becky; Macartney, Malcolm; Mori, Julie; Rickett, Graham; Smith-Burchnell, Caroline; Napier, Carolyn; Webster, Rob; Armour, Duncan; Price, David; Stammen, Blanda; Wood, Anthony

    2005-01-01

    Maraviroc (UK-427,857) is a selective CCR5 antagonist with potent anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) activity and favorable pharmacological properties. Maraviroc is the product of a medicinal chemistry effort initiated following identification of an imidazopyridine CCR5 ligand from a high-throughput screen of the Pfizer compound file. Maraviroc demonstrated potent antiviral activity against all CCR5-tropic HIV-1 viruses tested, including 43 primary isolates from various clades a...

  6. Potent inhibition of HIV-1 replication by a Tat mutant.

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    Luke W Meredith

    Full Text Available Herein we describe a mutant of the two-exon HIV-1 Tat protein, termed Nullbasic, that potently inhibits multiple steps of the HIV-1 replication cycle. Nullbasic was created by replacing the entire arginine-rich basic domain of wild type Tat with glycine/alanine residues. Like similarly mutated one-exon Tat mutants, Nullbasic exhibited transdominant negative effects on Tat-dependent transactivation. However, unlike previously reported mutants, we discovered that Nullbasic also strongly suppressed the expression of unspliced and singly-spliced viral mRNA, an activity likely caused by redistribution and thus functional inhibition of HIV-1 Rev. Furthermore, HIV-1 virion particles produced by cells expressing Nullbasic had severely reduced infectivity, a defect attributable to a reduced ability of the virions to undergo reverse transcription. Combination of these inhibitory effects on transactivation, Rev-dependent mRNA transport and reverse transcription meant that permissive cells constitutively expressing Nullbasic were highly resistant to a spreading infection by HIV-1. Nullbasic and its activities thus provide potential insights into the development of potent antiviral therapeutics that target multiple stages of HIV-1 infection.

  7. Antiviral Ability of Kalanchoe gracilis Leaf Extract against Enterovirus 71 and Coxsackievirus A16

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ching-Ying Wang

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Pandemic infection or reemergence of Enterovirus 71 (EV71 and coxsackievirus A16 (CVA16 occurs in tropical and subtropical regions, being associated with hand-foot-and-mouth disease, herpangina, aseptic meningitis, brain stem encephalitis, pulmonary edema, and paralysis. However, effective therapeutic drugs against EV71 and CVA16 are rare. Kalanchoe gracilis (L. DC is used for the treatment of injuries, pain, and inflammation. This study investigated antiviral effects of K. gracilis leaf extract on EV71 and CVA16 replications. HPLC analysis with a C-18 reverse phase column showed fingerprint profiles of K. gracilis leaf extract had 15 chromatographic peaks. UV/vis absorption spectra revealed peaks 5, 12, and 15 as ferulic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol, respectively. K. gracilis leaf extract showed little cytotoxicity, but exhibited concentration-dependent antiviral activities including cytopathic effect, plaque, and virus yield reductions. K. gracilis leaf extract was shown to be more potent in antiviral activity than ferulic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol, significantly inhibiting in vitro replication of EV71 (IC50=35.88 μg/mL and CVA16 (IC50=42.91 μg/mL. Moreover, K. gracilis leaf extract is a safe antienteroviral agent with the inactivation of viral 2A protease and reduction of IL-6 and RANTES expressions.

  8. Antiviral Ability of Kalanchoe gracilis Leaf Extract against Enterovirus 71 and Coxsackievirus A16

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ching-Ying; Huang, Shun-Chueh; Zhang, Yongjun; Lai, Zhen-Rung; Kung, Szu-Hao; Chang, Yuan-Shiun; Lin, Cheng-Wen

    2012-01-01

    Pandemic infection or reemergence of Enterovirus 71 (EV71) and coxsackievirus A16 (CVA16) occurs in tropical and subtropical regions, being associated with hand-foot-and-mouth disease, herpangina, aseptic meningitis, brain stem encephalitis, pulmonary edema, and paralysis. However, effective therapeutic drugs against EV71 and CVA16 are rare. Kalanchoe gracilis (L.) DC is used for the treatment of injuries, pain, and inflammation. This study investigated antiviral effects of K. gracilis leaf extract on EV71 and CVA16 replications. HPLC analysis with a C-18 reverse phase column showed fingerprint profiles of K. gracilis leaf extract had 15 chromatographic peaks. UV/vis absorption spectra revealed peaks 5, 12, and 15 as ferulic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol, respectively. K. gracilis leaf extract showed little cytotoxicity, but exhibited concentration-dependent antiviral activities including cytopathic effect, plaque, and virus yield reductions. K. gracilis leaf extract was shown to be more potent in antiviral activity than ferulic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol, significantly inhibiting in vitro replication of EV71 (IC50 = 35.88 μg/mL) and CVA16 (IC50 = 42.91 μg/mL). Moreover, K. gracilis leaf extract is a safe antienteroviral agent with the inactivation of viral 2A protease and reduction of IL-6 and RANTES expressions. PMID:22666293

  9. Smallpox Antiviral Drug

    Science.gov (United States)

    2007-01-01

    Candida albicans] A G1L (590 aa) Flag VV(WR) 30/ENDIDEILGIAHLLEHLLISF/50 107/HIKELENEYYFRNEVFH/123 H41A 30/ENDIDEILGIAALLEHLLISF/50 107...RSV) (Table 1). Additional antiviral drug examples include the use of interferon for human papilloma virus ( HPV ) [Cantell, 1995]. Antivirals are most...low oral bioavailability, and quick elimination from plasma [Ghosn et al., 2004; Hostetler et al., 1994; Kempf et al., 1991; Matsumoto et al., 2001

  10. Characterization of the mode of action of a potent dengue virus capsid inhibitor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scaturro, Pietro; Trist, Iuni Margaret Laura; Paul, David; Kumar, Anil; Acosta, Eliana G; Byrd, Chelsea M; Jordan, Robert; Brancale, Andrea; Bartenschlager, Ralf

    2014-10-01

    Dengue viruses (DV) represent a significant global health burden, with up to 400 million infections every year and around 500,000 infected individuals developing life-threatening disease. In spite of attempts to develop vaccine candidates and antiviral drugs, there is a lack of approved therapeutics for the treatment of DV infection. We have previously reported the identification of ST-148, a small-molecule inhibitor exhibiting broad and potent antiviral activity against DV in vitro and in vivo (C. M. Byrd et al., Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 57:15-25, 2013, doi:10 .1128/AAC.01429-12). In the present study, we investigated the mode of action of this promising compound by using a combination of biochemical, virological, and imaging-based techniques. We confirmed that ST-148 targets the capsid protein and obtained evidence of bimodal antiviral activity affecting both assembly/release and entry of infectious DV particles. Importantly, by using a robust bioluminescence resonance energy transfer-based assay, we observed an ST-148-dependent increase of capsid self-interaction. These results were corroborated by molecular modeling studies that also revealed a plausible model for compound binding to capsid protein and inhibition by a distinct resistance mutation. These results suggest that ST-148-enhanced capsid protein self-interaction perturbs assembly and disassembly of DV nucleocapsids, probably by inducing structural rigidity. Thus, as previously reported for other enveloped viruses, stabilization of capsid protein structure is an attractive therapeutic concept that also is applicable to flaviviruses. Dengue viruses are arthropod-borne viruses representing a significant global health burden. They infect up to 400 million people and are endemic to subtropical and tropical areas of the world. Currently, there are neither vaccines nor approved therapeutics for the prophylaxis or treatment of DV infections, respectively. This study reports the characterization of the

  11. Tannins from Hamamelis virginiana bark extract: characterization and improvement of the antiviral efficacy against influenza A virus and human papillomavirus.

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    Linda L Theisen

    Full Text Available Antiviral activity has been demonstrated for different tannin-rich plant extracts. Since tannins of different classes and molecular weights are often found together in plant extracts and may differ in their antiviral activity, we have compared the effect against influenza A virus (IAV of Hamamelis virginiana L. bark extract, fractions enriched in tannins of different molecular weights and individual tannins of defined structures, including pseudotannins. We demonstrate antiviral activity of the bark extract against different IAV strains, including the recently emerged H7N9, and show for the first time that a tannin-rich extract inhibits human papillomavirus (HPV type 16 infection. As the best performing antiviral candidate, we identified a highly potent fraction against both IAV and HPV, enriched in high molecular weight condensed tannins by ultrafiltration, a simple, reproducible and easily upscalable method. This ultrafiltration concentrate and the bark extract inhibited early and, to a minor extent, later steps in the IAV life cycle and tannin-dependently inhibited HPV attachment. We observed interesting mechanistic differences between tannin structures: High molecular weight tannin containing extracts and tannic acid (1702 g/mol inhibited both IAV receptor binding and neuraminidase activity. In contrast, low molecular weight compounds (<500 g/mol such as gallic acid, epigallocatechin gallate or hamamelitannin inhibited neuraminidase but not hemagglutination. Average molecular weight of the compounds seemed to positively correlate with receptor binding (but not neuraminidase inhibition. In general, neuraminidase inhibition seemed to contribute little to the antiviral activity. Importantly, antiviral use of the ultrafiltration fraction enriched in high molecular weight condensed tannins and, to a lesser extent, the unfractionated bark extract was preferable over individual isolated compounds. These results are of interest for developing and

  12. In vitro inhibition of canine distemper virus by flavonoids and phenolic acids: implications of structural differences for antiviral design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carvalho, O V; Botelho, C V; Ferreira, C G T; Ferreira, H C C; Santos, M R; Diaz, M A N; Oliveira, T T; Soares-Martins, J A P; Almeida, M R; Silva, A

    2013-10-01

    Infection caused by canine distemper virus (CDV) is a highly contagious disease with high incidence and lethality in the canine population. Antiviral activity of flavonoids quercetin, morin, rutin and hesperidin, and phenolic cinnamic, trans-cinnamic and ferulic acids were evaluated in vitro against the CDV using the time of addition assay to determine which step of the viral replicative cycle was affected. All flavonoids displayed great viral inhibition when they were added at the times 0 (adsorption) and 1h (penetration) of the viral replicative cycle. Both quercetin and hesperidin presented antiviral activity at the time 2h (intracellular). In the other hand, cinnamic acid showed antiviral activity at the times 0 and 2h while trans-cinnamic acid showed antiviral effect at the times -1h (pre-treatment) and 0 h. Ferulic acid inhibited CDV replicative cycle at the times 0 and 1h. Our study revealed promising candidates to be considered in the treatment of CDV. Structural differences among compounds and correlation to their antiviral activity were also explored. Our analysis suggest that these compounds could be useful in order to design new antiviral drugs against CDV as well as other viruses of great meaning in veterinary medicine. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Synthesis and antiviral activities of a novel class of thioflavone and flavonoid analogues

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    Dajun Zhang

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available A novel class of thioflavone and flavonoid derivatives has been prepared and their antiviral activities against enterovirus 71 (EV71 and the coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3 and B6 (CVB6 were evaluated. Compounds 7d and 9b showed potent antiviral activities against EV71 with IC50 values of 8.27 and 5.48 μM, respectively. Compound 7f, which has been synthesized for the first time in this work, showed the highest level of inhibitory activity against both CVB3 and CVB6 with an IC50 value of 0.62 and 0.87 μM. Compounds 4b, 7a, 9c and 9e also showed strong inhibitory activities against both the CVB3 and CVB6 at low concentrations (IC50=1.42−7.15 μM, whereas compounds 4d, 7c, 7e and 7g showed strong activity against CVB6 (IC50=2.91–3.77 μM together with low levels of activity against CVB3. Compound 7d exhibited stronger inhibitory activity against CVB3 (IC50=6.44 μM than CVB6 (IC50>8.29 μM. The thioflavone derivatives 7a, 7c, 7d, 7e, 7f and 7g, represent a new class of lead compounds for the development of novel antiviral agents.

  14. Diaryltriazine non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors are potent candidates for pre-exposure prophylaxis in the prevention of sexual HIV transmission.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ariën, Kevin K; Venkatraj, Muthusamy; Michiels, Johan; Joossens, Jurgen; Vereecken, Katleen; Van der Veken, Pieter; Abdellati, Saïd; Cuylaerts, Vicky; Crucitti, Tania; Heyndrickx, Leo; Heeres, Jan; Augustyns, Koen; Lewi, Paul J; Vanham, Guido

    2013-09-01

    Pre-exposure prophylaxis and topical microbicides are important strategies in the prevention of sexual HIV transmission, especially since partial protection has been shown in proof-of-concept studies. In search of new candidate drugs with an improved toxicity profile and with activity against common non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-resistant HIV, we have synthesized and investigated a library of 60 new diaryltriazine analogues. From this library, 15 compounds were evaluated in depth using a broad armamentarium of in vitro assays that are part of a preclinical testing algorithm for microbicide development. Antiviral activity was assessed in a cell line, and in primary human cells, against both subtype B and subtype C HIV-1 and against viruses resistant to therapeutic NNRTIs and the candidate NNRTI microbicide dapivirine. Toxicity towards primary blood-derived cells, cell lines originating from the female reproductive tract and female genital microflora was also studied. We identified several compounds with highly potent antiviral activity and toxicity profiles that are superior to that of dapivirine. In particular, compound UAMC01398 is an interesting new candidate that warrants further investigation because of its superior toxicity profile and potent activity against dapivirine-resistant viruses.

  15. Evasion of antiviral innate immunity by Theiler's virus L* protein through direct inhibition of RNase L.

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    Frédéric Sorgeloos

    Full Text Available Theiler's virus is a neurotropic picornavirus responsible for chronic infections of the central nervous system. The establishment of a persistent infection and the subsequent demyelinating disease triggered by the virus depend on the expression of L*, a viral accessory protein encoded by an alternative open reading frame of the virus. We discovered that L* potently inhibits the interferon-inducible OAS/RNase L pathway. The antagonism of RNase L by L* was particularly prominent in macrophages where baseline oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS and RNase L expression levels are elevated, but was detectable in fibroblasts after IFN pretreatment. L* mutations significantly affected Theiler's virus replication in primary macrophages derived from wild-type but not from RNase L-deficient mice. L* counteracted the OAS/RNase L pathway through direct interaction with the ankyrin domain of RNase L, resulting in the inhibition of this enzyme. Interestingly, RNase L inhibition was species-specific as Theiler's virus L* protein blocked murine RNase L but not human RNase L or RNase L of other mammals or birds. Direct RNase L inhibition by L* and species specificity were confirmed in an in vitro assay performed with purified proteins. These results demonstrate a novel viral mechanism to elude the antiviral OAS/RNase L pathway. By targeting the effector enzyme of this antiviral pathway, L* potently inhibits RNase L, underscoring the importance of this enzyme in innate immunity against Theiler's virus.

  16. Current antiviral drugs and their analysis in biological materials - Part II: Antivirals against hepatitis and HIV viruses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nováková, Lucie; Pavlík, Jakub; Chrenková, Lucia; Martinec, Ondřej; Červený, Lukáš

    2018-01-05

    This review is a Part II of the series aiming to provide comprehensive overview of currently used antiviral drugs and to show modern approaches to their analysis. While in the Part I antivirals against herpes viruses and antivirals against respiratory viruses were addressed, this part concerns antivirals against hepatitis viruses (B and C) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Many novel antivirals against hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV have been introduced into the clinical practice over the last decade. The recent broadening portfolio of these groups of antivirals is reflected in increasing number of developed analytical methods required to meet the needs of clinical terrain. Part II summarizes the mechanisms of action of antivirals against hepatitis B virus (HBV), HCV, and HIV, their use in clinical practice, and analytical methods for individual classes. It also provides expert opinion on state of art in the field of bioanalysis of these drugs. Analytical methods reflect novelty of these chemical structures and use by far the most current approaches, such as simple and high-throughput sample preparation and fast separation, often by means of UHPLC-MS/MS. Proper method validation based on requirements of bioanalytical guidelines is an inherent part of the developed methods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Design, Synthesis and Antiviral Activity Studies of Schizonepetin Derivatives

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    Anwei Ding

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available A series of schizonepetin derivatives have been designed and synthesized in order to obtain potent antivirus agents. The antiviral activity against HSV-1 and influenza virus H3N2 as well as the cytotoxicity of these derivatives was evaluated by using cytopathic effect (CPE inhibition assay in vitro. Compounds M2, M4, M5 and M34 showed higher inhibitory activity against HSV-1 virus with the TC50 values being in micromole. Compounds M28, M33, and M35 showed higher inhibitory activity against influenza virus H3N2 with their TC50 values being 96.4, 71.0 and 75.4 μM, respectively. Preliminary biological activity evaluation indicated that the anti-H3N2 and anti-HSV-1 activities improved obviously through the introduction of halogen into the structure of schizonepetin.

  18. Type I and Type III Interferons Display Different Dependency on Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases to Mount an Antiviral State in the Human Gut.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pervolaraki, Kalliopi; Stanifer, Megan L; Münchau, Stephanie; Renn, Lynnsey A; Albrecht, Dorothee; Kurzhals, Stefan; Senís, Elena; Grimm, Dirk; Schröder-Braunstein, Jutta; Rabin, Ronald L; Boulant, Steeve

    2017-01-01

    Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) are constantly exposed to commensal flora and pathogen challenges. How IECs regulate their innate immune response to maintain gut homeostasis remains unclear. Interferons (IFNs) are cytokines produced during infections. While type I IFN receptors are ubiquitously expressed, type III IFN receptors are expressed only on epithelial cells. This epithelium specificity strongly suggests exclusive functions at epithelial surfaces, but the relative roles of type I and III IFNs in the establishment of an antiviral innate immune response in human IECs are not clearly defined. Here, we used mini-gut organoids to define the functions of types I and III IFNs to protect the human gut against viral infection. We show that primary non-transformed human IECs, upon viral challenge, upregulate the expression of both type I and type III IFNs at the transcriptional level but only secrete type III IFN in the supernatant. However, human IECs respond to both type I and type III IFNs by producing IFN-stimulated genes that in turn induce an antiviral state. Using genetic ablation of either type I or type III IFN receptors, we show that either IFN can independently restrict virus infection in human IECs. Importantly, we report, for the first time, differences in the mechanisms by which each IFN establishes the antiviral state. Contrary to type I IFN, the antiviral activity induced by type III IFN is strongly dependent on the mitogen-activated protein kinases signaling pathway, suggesting a pathway used by type III IFNs that non-redundantly contributes to the antiviral state. In conclusion, we demonstrate that human intestinal epithelial cells specifically regulate their innate immune response favoring type III IFN-mediated signaling, which allows for efficient protection against pathogens without producing excessive inflammation. Our results strongly suggest that type III IFN constitutes the frontline of antiviral response in the human gut. We propose that

  19. Recent advances in therapeutic recruitment of mammalian RNAi and bacterial CRISPR-Cas DNA interference pathways as emerging antiviral strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chin, Wei-Xin; Ang, Swee Kim; Chu, Justin Jang Hann

    2017-01-01

    In invertebrate eukaryotes and prokaryotes, respectively, the RNAi and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR-associated (CRISPR-Cas) pathways are highly specific and efficient RNA and DNA interference systems, and are well characterised as potent antiviral systems. It has become possible to recruit or reconstitute these pathways in mammalian cells, where they can be directed against desired host or viral targets. The RNAi and CRISPR-Cas systems can therefore yield ideal antiviral therapeutics, capable of specific and efficient viral inhibition with minimal off-target effects, but development of such therapeutics can be slow. This review covers recent advances made towards developing RNAi or CRISPR-Cas strategies for clinical use. These studies address the delivery, toxicity or target design issues that typically plague the in vivo or clinical use of these technologies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Antiviral Effect of Sub Fraction Cassia alata Leaves Extract to Dengue Virus Serotype-2 strain New Guinea C in Human Cell Line Huh-7 it-1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angelina, Marissa; Hanafi, Muhammad; Suyatna, Franciscus D.; Mirawati S., T.; Ratnasari, Shirley; Ernawati Dewi, Beti

    2017-12-01

    Dengue virus (DENV) is one of the most common viral infections found Indonesia and tropical regions, and no specific antiviral for DENV. Indonesia has several of herbal medicine that were not explored of their potency as antiviral DENV. This study was done to evaluate the activity and toxicity of 4 derived fractions: Hexane (CA1), ethyl acetate (CA2), buthanol (CA3 ) and water (CA4) of Cassia alata leaf extract (CA) as an antiviral drug to DENV. The DENV was treated with various concentration of extract and added to Huh-7 it-1. The decrease of virus titer was determined by Focus assay. The toxicity of extract was measured by MTT assay. In our previous study, we found that CA on Huh-7 cells showed IC50, CC50 and SI values of <10 μg/mL, 323.45 μg/mL, and more than 32.3, respectively. For the fractions, CA3 showed best antiviral activity among other, with IC50, CC50 and SI of <10 μg/mL, 645.8 μg/mL, and more than 64.5, respectively. CA and CA3 were proven to possess antiviral activity that is potent when tested against DENV-2. Future study was needed to explore the inhibition mechanism and compound of CA that have potency as antiviral drug to DENV.

  1. Pokeweed Antiviral Protein: Its Cytotoxicity Mechanism and Applications in Plant Disease Resistance

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    Rong Di

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP is a 29 kDa type I ribosome inactivating protein (RIP found in pokeweed plants. Pokeweed produces different forms of PAP. This review focuses on the spring form of PAP isolated from Phytolacca americana leaves. PAP exerts its cytotoxicity by removing a specific adenine from the α-sarcin/ricin loop of the large ribosomal RNA. Besides depurination of the rRNA, PAP has additional activities that contribute to its cytotoxicity. The mechanism of PAP cytotoxicity is summarized based on evidence from the analysis of transgenic plants and the yeast model system. PAP was initially found to be anti-viral when it was co-inoculated with plant viruses onto plants. Transgenic plants expressing PAP and non-toxic PAP mutants have displayed broad-spectrum resistance to both viral and fungal infection. The mechanism of PAP-induced disease resistance in transgenic plants is summarized.

  2. Indolyl aryl sulfones (IASs): development of highly potent NNRTIs active against wt-HIV-1 and clinically relevant drug resistant mutants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silvestri, Romano; Artico, Marino

    2005-01-01

    Indolyl aryl sulfones (IASs) are a potent class of NNRTIs developed from L-737,126, a lead agent discovered by Merck AG. IAS derivatives are endowed with inhibitory activities against wt HIV-1 in the low nanomolar concentration range. Introduction of two methyl groups at positions 3 and 5 of the phenyl ring of the aryl sulfonyl moiety furnished IAS derivatives such as 5-chloro- or 5-bromo-3-[(3,5-dimethylphenyl)sulfonyl]indole-2-carboxyamide, which showed very potent and selective anti-HIV-1 activity against some mutants carrying NNRTI resistant mutations at positions 103 and 181 of the reverse transcriptase. IAS derivatives bearing 2-hydroxyethylcarboxyamide or 2-hydroxyethylcarboxyhydrazide groups at position 2 of the indole nucleus were more active than L-737,126 against the K103N-Y181C double mutant. A great improvement of antiviral activity against wt HIV-1 and resistant mutants was obtained by coupling 1-3 simple amino acids, such as glycine and alanine, in sequence, with the 3-[(3,5-dimethylphenyl)sulfonyl]-1H-indole-2-carbonyl moiety. The transformation of the chain terminus into amide or hydrazide, produced short peptides with high selectivity and potent activity against wt HIV-1, and the viral mutants Y181C, K103N-Y181C and EFV(R). IAS having two halogen atoms at the indole showed potent inhibitory activity against the Y181C and the EFV(R) resistant mutant strains. In particular, the introduction of a fluorine atom at position 4 of the indole ring notably contributed to improve the antiviral activities against both wt and the related resistant mutants. 5-Nitro-IASs were highly active against wt HIV-1 and exhibited low cytotoxicity. Experimental data highlighted the class IAS derivatives as promising candidates for clinical trials.

  3. UBXN1 Interferes with Rig-I-like Receptor-Mediated Antiviral Immune Response by Targeting MAVS

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    Penghua Wang

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available RNA viruses are sensed by RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs, which signal through a mitochondria-associated adaptor molecule, MAVS, resulting in systemic antiviral immune responses. Although RLR signaling is essential for limiting RNA virus replication, it must be stringently controlled to prevent damage from inflammation. We demonstrate here that among all tested UBX-domain-containing protein family members, UBXN1 exhibits the strongest inhibitory effect on RNA-virus-induced type I interferon response. UBXN1 potently inhibits RLR- and MAVS-induced, but not TLR3-, TLR4-, or DNA-virus-induced innate immune responses. Depletion of UBXN1 enhances virus-induced innate immune responses, including those resulting from RNA viruses such as vesicular stomatitis, Sendai, West Nile, and dengue virus infection, repressing viral replication. Following viral infection, UBXN1 is induced, binds to MAVS, interferes with intracellular MAVS oligomerization, and disrupts the MAVS/TRAF3/TRAF6 signalosome. These findings underscore a critical role of UBXN1 in the modulation of a major antiviral signaling pathway.

  4. Antiviral activity of gliotoxin, gentian violet and brilliant green against Nipah and Hendra virus in vitro

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    Meyer Adam G

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Using a recently described monolayer assay amenable to high throughput screening format for the identification of potential Nipah virus and Hendra virus antivirals, we have partially screened a low molecular weight compound library (>8,000 compounds directly against live virus infection and identified twenty eight promising lead molecules. Initial single blind screens were conducted with 10 μM compound in triplicate with a minimum efficacy of 90% required for lead selection. Lead compounds were then further characterised to determine the median efficacy (IC50, cytotoxicity (CC50 and the in vitro therapeutic index in live virus and pseudotype assay formats. Results While a number of leads were identified, the current work describes three commercially available compounds: brilliant green, gentian violet and gliotoxin, identified as having potent antiviral activity against Nipah and Hendra virus. Similar efficacy was observed against pseudotyped Nipah and Hendra virus, vesicular stomatitis virus and human parainfluenza virus type 3 while only gliotoxin inhibited an influenza A virus suggesting a non-specific, broad spectrum activity for this compound. Conclusion All three of these compounds have been used previously for various aspects of anti-bacterial and anti-fungal therapy and the current results suggest that while unsuitable for internal administration, they may be amenable to topical antiviral applications, or as disinfectants and provide excellent positive controls for future studies.

  5. Highly Functionalized and Potent Antiviral Cyclopentane Derivatives Formed by a Tandem Process Consisting of Organometallic, Transition-Metal-Catalyzed, and Radical Reaction Steps

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Jagtap, Pratap; Ford, Leigh Robert; Deister, E.; Pohl, Radek; Císařová, I.; Hodek, Jan; Weber, Jan; Mackman, R.; Bahador, G.; Jahn, Ullrich

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 20, č. 33 (2014), s. 10298-10304 ISSN 0947-6539 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA203/09/1936 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : antiviral activity * cyclopentanes * isomerization * organic synthesis * radicals Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry Impact factor: 5.731, year: 2014

  6. Antiviral effects of two Ganoderma lucidum triterpenoids against enterovirus 71 infection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Wenjing; Tao, Junyan; Yang, Xiaoping; Yang, Zhuliang; Zhang, Li; Liu, Hongsheng; Wu, Kailang; Wu, Jianguo

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Triterpenoids GLTA and GLTB display anti-EV71 activities without cytotoxicity. • The compounds prevent EV71 infection by blocking adsorption of the virus to the cells. • GLTA and GLTB bind to EV71 capsid at the hydrophobic pocket to block EV71 uncoating. • The two compounds significantly inhibit the replication of EV71 viral RNA. • GLTA and GLTB may be used as potential therapeutic agents to treat EV71 infection. - Abstract: Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is a major causative agent for hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), and fatal neurological and systemic complications in children. However, there is currently no clinical approved antiviral drug available for the prevention and treatment of the viral infection. Here, we evaluated the antiviral activities of two Ganoderma lucidum triterpenoids (GLTs), Lanosta-7,9(11),24-trien-3-one,15;26-dihydroxy (GLTA) and Ganoderic acid Y (GLTB), against EV71 infection. The results showed that the two natural compounds display significant anti-EV71 activities without cytotoxicity in human rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cells as evaluated by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) cell proliferation assay. The mechanisms by which the two compounds affect EV71 infection were further elucidated by three action modes using Ribavirin, a common antiviral drug, as a positive control. The results suggested that GLTA and GLTB prevent EV71 infection through interacting with the viral particle to block the adsorption of virus to the cells. In addition, the interactions between EV71 virion and the compounds were predicated by computer molecular docking, which illustrated that GLTA and GLTB may bind to the viral capsid protein at a hydrophobic pocket (F site), and thus may block uncoating of EV71. Moreover, we demonstrated that GLTA and GLTB significantly inhibit the replication of the viral RNA (vRNA) of EV71 replication through blocking EV71 uncoating. Thus, GLTA and GLTB may represent two potential

  7. Antiviral effects of two Ganoderma lucidum triterpenoids against enterovirus 71 infection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Wenjing; Tao, Junyan; Yang, Xiaoping [State Key Laboratory of Virology and College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Yang, Zhuliang [Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Biogeography, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Science, Kunming 650201 (China); Zhang, Li; Liu, Hongsheng [Department of Academy of Sciences, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036 (China); Wu, Kailang [State Key Laboratory of Virology and College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Wu, Jianguo, E-mail: jwu@whu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Virology and College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China)

    2014-07-04

    Highlights: • Triterpenoids GLTA and GLTB display anti-EV71 activities without cytotoxicity. • The compounds prevent EV71 infection by blocking adsorption of the virus to the cells. • GLTA and GLTB bind to EV71 capsid at the hydrophobic pocket to block EV71 uncoating. • The two compounds significantly inhibit the replication of EV71 viral RNA. • GLTA and GLTB may be used as potential therapeutic agents to treat EV71 infection. - Abstract: Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is a major causative agent for hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), and fatal neurological and systemic complications in children. However, there is currently no clinical approved antiviral drug available for the prevention and treatment of the viral infection. Here, we evaluated the antiviral activities of two Ganoderma lucidum triterpenoids (GLTs), Lanosta-7,9(11),24-trien-3-one,15;26-dihydroxy (GLTA) and Ganoderic acid Y (GLTB), against EV71 infection. The results showed that the two natural compounds display significant anti-EV71 activities without cytotoxicity in human rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cells as evaluated by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) cell proliferation assay. The mechanisms by which the two compounds affect EV71 infection were further elucidated by three action modes using Ribavirin, a common antiviral drug, as a positive control. The results suggested that GLTA and GLTB prevent EV71 infection through interacting with the viral particle to block the adsorption of virus to the cells. In addition, the interactions between EV71 virion and the compounds were predicated by computer molecular docking, which illustrated that GLTA and GLTB may bind to the viral capsid protein at a hydrophobic pocket (F site), and thus may block uncoating of EV71. Moreover, we demonstrated that GLTA and GLTB significantly inhibit the replication of the viral RNA (vRNA) of EV71 replication through blocking EV71 uncoating. Thus, GLTA and GLTB may represent two potential

  8. Design, Synthesis, Molecular Docking, and Antibacterial Evaluation of Some Novel Flouroquinolone Derivatives as Potent Antibacterial Agent

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    Mehul M. Patel

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. Quinolone moiety is an important class of nitrogen containing heterocycles widely used as key building blocks for medicinal agents. It exhibits a wide spectrum of pharmacophores and has bactericidal, antiviral, antimalarial, and anticancer activities. In view of the reported antimicrobial activity of various fluoroquinolones, the importance of the C-7 substituents is that they exhibit potent antimicrobial activities. Our objective was to synthesize newer quinolone analogues with increasing bulk at C-7 position of the main 6-fluoroquinolone scaffold to produce the target compounds which have potent antimicrobial activity. Methods. A novel series of 1-ethyl-6-fluoro-4-oxo-7-{4-[2-(4-substituted phenyl-2-(substituted-ethyl]-1-piperazinyl}-1,4-dihydroquinoline-3-carboxylic acid derivatives were synthesized. To understand the interaction of binding sites with bacterial protein receptor, the docking study was performed using topoisomerase II DNA gyrase enzymes (PDB ID: 2XCT by Schrodinger’s Maestro program. In vitro antibacterial activity of the synthesized compounds was studied and the MIC value was calculated by the broth dilution method. Results. Among all the synthesized compounds, some compounds showed potent antimicrobial activity. The compound 8g exhibited good antibacterial activity. Conclusion. This investigation identified the potent antibacterial agents against certain infections.

  9. Antiviral Drug Research Proposal Activity

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    Lisa Injaian

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available The development of antiviral drugs provides an excellent example of how basic and clinical research must be used together in order to achieve the final goal of treating disease. A Research Oriented Learning Activity was designed to help students to better understand how basic and clinical research can be combined toward a common goal. Through this project students gained a better understanding of the process of scientific research and increased their information literacy in the field of virology. The students worked as teams to research the many aspects involved in the antiviral drug design process, with each student becoming an "expert" in one aspect of the project. The Antiviral Drug Research Proposal (ADRP culminated with students presenting their proposals to their peers and local virologists in a poster session. Assessment data showed increased student awareness and knowledge of the research process and the steps involved in the development of antiviral drugs as a result of this activity.

  10. Pyrazole compound BPR1P0034 with potent and selective anti-influenza virus activity

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    Yeh Jiann-Yih

    2010-02-01

    that BPR1P0034 targets the virus during viral uncoating or viral RNA importation into the nucleus. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, BPR1P0034 is the first pyrazole-based anti-influenza compound ever identified and characterized from high throughput screening to show potent (sub-μM antiviral activity. We conclude that BPR1P0034 has potential antiviral activity, which offers an opportunity for the development of a new anti-influenza virus agent.

  11. Potent antitumor activity of a urokinase-activated engineered anthrax toxin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Shihui; Aaronson, Hannah; Mitola, David J.; Leppla, Stephen H.; Bugge, Thomas H.

    2003-01-01

    The acquisition of cell-surface urokinase plasminogen activator activity is a hallmark of malignancy. We generated an engineered anthrax toxin that is activated by cell-surface urokinase in vivo and displays limited toxicity to normal tissue but broad and potent tumoricidal activity. Native anthrax toxin protective antigen, when administered with a chimeric anthrax toxin lethal factor, Pseudomonas exotoxin fusion protein, was extremely toxic to mice, causing rapid and fatal organ damage. Replacing the furin activation sequence in anthrax toxin protective antigen with an artificial peptide sequence efficiently activated by urokinase greatly attenuated toxicity to mice. In addition, the mutation conferred cell-surface urokinase-dependent toxin activation in vivo, as determined by using a panel of plasminogen, plasminogen activator, plasminogen activator receptor, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-deficient mice. Surprisingly, toxin activation critically depended on both urokinase plasminogen activator receptor and plasminogen in vivo, showing that both proteins are essential cofactors for the generation of cell-surface urokinase. The engineered toxin displayed potent tumor cell cytotoxicity to a spectrum of transplanted tumors of diverse origin and could eradicate established solid tumors. This tumoricidal activity depended strictly on tumor cell-surface plasminogen activation. The data show that a simple change of protease activation specificity converts anthrax toxin from a highly lethal to a potent tumoricidal agent.

  12. Arginine-rich histones have strong antiviral activity for influenza A viruses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoeksema, Marloes; Tripathi, Shweta; White, Mitchell; Qi, Li; Taubenberger, Jeffery; van Eijk, Martin; Haagsman, Henk; Hartshorn, Kevan L

    2015-10-01

    While histones are best known for DNA binding and transcription-regulating properties, they also have antimicrobial activity against a broad range of potentially pathogenic organisms. Histones are abundant in neutrophil extracellular traps, where they play an important role in NET-mediated antimicrobial killing. Here, we show anti-influenza activity of histones against both seasonal H3N2 and H1N1, but not pandemic H1N1. The arginine rich histones, H3 and H4, had greater neutralizing and viral aggregating activity than the lysine rich histones, H2A and H2B. Of all core histones, histone H4 is most potent in neutralizing IAV, and incubation with IAV with histone H4 results in a decrease in uptake and viral replication by epithelial cells when measured by qRT-PCR. The antiviral activity of histone H4 is mediated principally by direct effects on viral particles. Histone H4 binds to IAV as assessed by ELISA and co-sedimentation of H4 with IAV. H4 also induces aggregation, as assessed by confocal microscopy and light transmission assays. Despite strong antiviral activity against the seasonal IAV strains, H4 was inactive against pandemic H1N1. These findings indicate a possible role for histones in the innate immune response against IAV. © The Author(s) 2015.

  13. What You Should Know about Flu Antiviral Drugs

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Other What You Should Know About Flu Antiviral Drugs Language: English (US) Español Recommend on Facebook Tweet ... used to treat flu illness. What are antiviral drugs? Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid, an ...

  14. SUMO-interacting motifs of human TRIM5α are important for antiviral activity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gloria Arriagada

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Human TRIM5α potently restricts particular strains of murine leukemia viruses (the so-called N-tropic strains but not others (the B- or NB-tropic strains during early stages of infection. We show that overexpression of SUMO-1 in human 293T cells, but not in mouse MDTF cells, profoundly blocks N-MLV infection. This block is dependent on the tropism of the incoming virus, as neither B-, NB-, nor the mutant R110E of N-MLV CA (a B-tropic switch are affected by SUMO-1 overexpression. The block occurred prior to reverse transcription and could be abrogated by large amounts of restricted virus. Knockdown of TRIM5α in 293T SUMO-1-overexpressing cells resulted in ablation of the SUMO-1 antiviral effects, and this loss of restriction could be restored by expression of a human TRIM5α shRNA-resistant plasmid. Amino acid sequence analysis of human TRIM5α revealed a consensus SUMO conjugation site at the N-terminus and three putative SUMO interacting motifs (SIMs in the B30.2 domain. Mutations of the TRIM5α consensus SUMO conjugation site did not affect the antiviral activity of TRIM5α in any of the cell types tested. Mutation of the SIM consensus sequences, however, abolished TRIM5α antiviral activity against N-MLV. Mutation of lysines at a potential site of SUMOylation in the CA region of the Gag gene reduced the SUMO-1 block and the TRIM5α restriction of N-MLV. Our data suggest a novel aspect of TRIM5α-mediated restriction, in which the presence of intact SIMs in TRIM5α, and also the SUMO conjugation of CA, are required for restriction. We propose that at least a portion of the antiviral activity of TRIM5α is mediated through the binding of its SIMs to SUMO-conjugated CA.

  15. Viruses and Antiviral Immunity in Drosophila

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Jie; Cherry, Sara

    2013-01-01

    Viral pathogens present many challenges to organisms, driving the evolution of a myriad of antiviral strategies to combat infections. A wide variety of viruses infect invertebrates, including both natural pathogens that are insect-restricted, and viruses that are transmitted to vertebrates. Studies using the powerful tools available in the model organism Drosophila have expanded our understanding of antiviral defenses against diverse viruses. In this review, we will cover three major areas. First, we will describe the tools used to study viruses in Drosophila. Second, we will survey the major viruses that have been studied in Drosophila. And lastly, we will discuss the well-characterized mechanisms that are active against these diverse pathogens, focusing on non-RNAi mediated antiviral mechanisms. Antiviral RNAi is discussed in another paper in this issue. PMID:23680639

  16. Hepatitis C Virus and Antiviral Drug Resistance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Seungtaek; Han, Kwang-Hyub; Ahn, Sang Hoon

    2016-11-15

    Since its discovery in 1989, hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been intensively investigated to understand its biology and develop effective antiviral therapies. The efforts of the previous 25 years have resulted in a better understanding of the virus, and this was facilitated by the development of in vitro cell culture systems for HCV replication. Antiviral treatments and sustained virological responses have also improved from the early interferon monotherapy to the current all-oral regimens using direct-acting antivirals. However, antiviral resistance has become a critical issue in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C, similar to other chronic viral infections, and retreatment options following treatment failure have become important questions. Despite the clinical challenges in the management of chronic hepatitis C, substantial progress has been made in understanding HCV, which may facilitate the investigation of other closely related flaviviruses and lead to the development of antiviral agents against these human pathogens.

  17. Characterisation and evaluation of antiviral recombinant peptides based on the heptad repeat regions of NDV and IBV fusion glycoproteins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Xiaojia; Li Chuangen; Chi Xiaojing; Wang Ming

    2011-01-01

    Mixed virus infections can cause livestock losses that are more devastating than those caused by single virus infections. Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), serious threats to the poultry industry, can give rise to complex mixed infections that hinder diagnosis and prevention. In this study, we show that newly designed peptides, which are based on the heptad repeat (HR) region of the fusion glycoproteins from NDV and IBV, have more potent antiviral activity than the mother HR peptides. Plaque formation and chicken embryo infectivity assays confirmed these results. The novel peptides completely inhibited single virus infections and mixed infections caused by NDV and IBV. Furthermore, we assessed cell toxicity and possible targets for the peptides, thereby strengthening the notion that HR2 is an attractive site for therapeutic intervention. These results suggest the possibility of designing a relatively broad-spectrum class of antiviral peptides that can reduce the effects of mixed-infections.

  18. Antibiotic-Mediated Inhibition of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV Infection: A Novel Quinolone Function Which Potentiates the Antiviral Cytokine Response in MARC-145 Cells and Pig Macrophages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    William A. Cafruny

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV is an economically significant agent for which there currently are no effective treatments. Development of antiviral agents for PRRSV as well as many other viruses has been limited by toxicity of known antiviral compounds. In contrast, antibiotics for non-virus microbial infections have been widely useful, in part because of their acceptable toxicity in animals. We report here the discovery that the quinolonecontaining compound Plasmocin™, as well as the quinolones nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin, have potent anti-PRRSV activity in vitro. PRRSV replication was inhibited by these antibiotics in both cultured MARC-145 cells and cultured primary alveolar porcine macrophages (PAMs. Furthermore, sub-optimal concentrations of nalidixic acid synergized with antiviral cytokines (AK-2 or IFN-γ to quantitatively and qualitatively inhibit PRRSV replication in MARC-145 cells or PAMs. The antiviral activity of Plasmocin and nalidixic acid correlated with reduced actin expression in MARC-145 cells. Replication of the related lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus (LDV was also inhibited in primary mouse macrophages by Plasmocin. These results are significant to the development of antiviral strategies with potentially reduced toxicity, and provide a model system to better understand regulation of arterivirus replication.

  19. Antiviral treatment for Bell's palsy (idiopathic facial paralysis).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gagyor, Ildiko; Madhok, Vishnu B; Daly, Fergus; Somasundara, Dhruvashree; Sullivan, Michael; Gammie, Fiona; Sullivan, Frank

    2015-11-09

    Corticosteroids are widely used in the treatment of idiopathic facial paralysis (Bell's palsy), but the effectiveness of additional treatment with an antiviral agent is uncertain. Significant morbidity can be associated with severe cases of Bell's palsy. This review was first published in 2001 and revised several times, most recently in 2009. This version replaces an update of the review in Issue 7 of the Cochrane Library subsequently withdrawn because of an ongoing investigation into the reliability of data from an included study. To assess the effects of antiviral treatments alone or in combination with any other therapy for Bell's palsy. On 7 October 2014 we searched the Cochrane Neuromuscular Disease Group Specialized Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, DARE, NHS EED, and HTA. We also reviewed the bibliographies of the identified trials and contacted trial authors and known experts in the field and relevant drug companies to identify additional published or unpublished data. We searched clinical trials registries for ongoing studies. We considered randomised controlled trials or quasi-randomised controlled trials of antivirals with and without corticosteroids versus control therapies for the treatment of Bell's palsy. We excluded trials that had a high risk of bias in several domains. Pairs of authors independently assessed trials for relevance, eligibility, and risk of bias, using standard Cochrane procedures. Ten trials, including 2280 participants, met the inclusion criteria and are included in the final analysis. Some of the trials were small, and a number were at high or unclear risk of bias. Other trials did not meet current best standards in allocation concealment and blinding. Incomplete recoveryWe found a significant benefit from adding antivirals to corticosteroids in comparison with corticosteroids alone for people with Bell's palsy (risk ratio (RR) 0.61, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.39 to 0.97, n = 1315). For people with severe Bell

  20. Viral ancestors of antiviral systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Villarreal, Luis P

    2011-10-01

    All life must survive their corresponding viruses. Thus antiviral systems are essential in all living organisms. Remnants of virus derived information are also found in all life forms but have historically been considered mostly as junk DNA. However, such virus derived information can strongly affect host susceptibility to viruses. In this review, I evaluate the role viruses have had in the origin and evolution of host antiviral systems. From Archaea through bacteria and from simple to complex eukaryotes I trace the viral components that became essential elements of antiviral immunity. I conclude with a reexamination of the 'Big Bang' theory for the emergence of the adaptive immune system in vertebrates by horizontal transfer and note how viruses could have and did provide crucial and coordinated features.

  1. Nanoparticulate delivery systems for antiviral drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lembo, David; Cavalli, Roberta

    2010-01-01

    Nanomedicine opens new therapeutic avenues for attacking viral diseases and for improving treatment success rates. Nanoparticulate-based systems might change the release kinetics of antivirals, increase their bioavailability, improve their efficacy, restrict adverse drug side effects and reduce treatment costs. Moreover, they could permit the delivery of antiviral drugs to specific target sites and viral reservoirs in the body. These features are particularly relevant in viral diseases where high drug doses are needed, drugs are expensive and the success of a therapy is associated with a patient's adherence to the administration protocol. This review presents the current status in the emerging area of nanoparticulate delivery systems in antiviral therapy, providing their definition and description, and highlighting some peculiar features. The paper closes with a discussion on the future challenges that must be addressed before the potential of nanotechnology can be translated into safe and effective antiviral formulations for clinical use.

  2. Targeting APOBEC3A to the viral nucleoprotein complex confers antiviral activity

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    Strebel Klaus

    2007-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background APOBEC3 (A3 proteins constitute a family of cytidine deaminases that provide intracellular resistance to retrovirus replication and to transposition of endogenous retroelements. A3A has significant homology to the C-terminus of A3G but has only a single cytidine deaminase active site (CDA, unlike A3G, which has a second N-terminal CDA previously found to be important for Vif sensitivity and virus encapsidation. A3A is packaged into HIV-1 virions but, unlike A3G, does not have antiviral properties. Here, we investigated the reason for the lack of A3A antiviral activity. Results Sequence alignment of A3G and A3A revealed significant homology of A3A to the C-terminal region of A3G. However, while A3G co-purified with detergent-resistant viral nucleoprotein complexes (NPC, virus-associated A3A was highly detergent-sensitive leading us to speculate that the ability to assemble into NPC may be a property conveyed by the A3G N-terminus. To test this model, we constructed an A3G-3A chimeric protein, in which the N-terminal half of A3G was fused to A3A. Interestingly, the A3G-3A chimera was packaged into HIV-1 particles and, unlike A3A, associated with the viral NPC. Furthermore, the A3G-3A chimera displayed strong antiviral activity against HIV-1 and was sensitive to inhibition by HIV-1 Vif. Conclusion Our results suggest that the A3G N-terminal domain carries determinants important for targeting the protein to viral NPCs. Transfer of this domain to A3A results in A3A targeting to viral NPCs and confers antiviral activity.

  3. Viral Ancestors of Antiviral Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis P. Villarreal

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available All life must survive their corresponding viruses. Thus antiviral systems are essential in all living organisms. Remnants of virus derived information are also found in all life forms but have historically been considered mostly as junk DNA. However, such virus derived information can strongly affect host susceptibility to viruses. In this review, I evaluate the role viruses have had in the origin and evolution of host antiviral systems. From Archaea through bacteria and from simple to complex eukaryotes I trace the viral components that became essential elements of antiviral immunity. I conclude with a reexamination of the ‘Big Bang’ theory for the emergence of the adaptive immune system in vertebrates by horizontal transfer and note how viruses could have and did provide crucial and coordinated features.

  4. Antiviral cationic peptides as a strategy for innovation in global health therapeutics for dengue virus: high yield production of the biologically active recombinant plectasin peptide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rothan, Hussin A; Mohamed, Zulqarnain; Suhaeb, Abdulrazzaq M; Rahman, Noorsaadah Abd; Yusof, Rohana

    2013-11-01

    Dengue virus infects millions of people worldwide, and there is no vaccine or anti-dengue therapeutic available. Antimicrobial peptides have been shown to possess effective antiviral activity against various viruses. One of the main limitations of developing these peptides as potent antiviral drugs is the high cost of production. In this study, high yield production of biologically active plectasin peptide was inexpensively achieved by producing tandem plectasin peptides as inclusion bodies in E. coli. Antiviral activity of the recombinant peptide towards dengue serotype-2 NS2B-NS3 protease (DENV2 NS2B-NS3pro) was assessed as a target to inhibit dengue virus replication in Vero cells. Single units of recombinant plectasin were collected after applying consecutive steps of refolding, cleaving by Factor Xa, and nickel column purification to obtain recombinant proteins of high purity. The maximal nontoxic dose (MNTD) of the recombinant peptide against Vero cells was 20 μM (100 μg/mL). The reaction velocity of DENV2 NS2B-NS3pro decreased significantly after increasing concentrations of recombinant plectasin were applied to the reaction mixture. Plectasin peptide noncompetitively inhibited DENV2 NS2B-NS3pro at Ki value of 5.03 ± 0.98 μM. The percentage of viral inhibition was more than 80% at the MNTD value of plectasin. In this study, biologically active recombinant plectasin which was able to inhibit dengue protease and viral replication in Vero cells was successfully produced in E. coli in a time- and cost- effective method. These findings are potentially important in the development of potent therapeutics against dengue infection.

  5. Oblongifolin M, an active compound isolated from a Chinese medical herb Garcinia oblongifolia, potently inhibits enterovirus 71 reproduction through downregulation of ERp57.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Mengjie; Dong, Qi; Wang, Hua; He, Yaqing; Chen, Ying; Zhang, Hong; Wu, Rong; Chen, Xinchun; Zhou, Boping; He, Jason; Kung, Hsiang-Fu; Huang, Canhua; Wei, Yuquan; Huang, Jian-dong; Xu, Hongxi; He, Ming-Liang

    2016-02-23

    There is no effective drug to treat EV71 infection yet. Traditional Chinese herbs are great resources for novel antiviral compounds. Here we showed that Oblongifolin M (OM), an active compound isolated from Garcinia oblongifolia, potently inhibited EV71 infection in a dose dependent manner. To identify its potential effectors in the host cells, we successfully identified 18 proteins from 52 differentially expressed spots by comparative proteomics studies. Further studies showed that knockdown of ERp57 inhibited viral replication through downregulating viral IRES (internal ribosome entry site) activities, whereas ectopic expression of ERp57 increased IRES activity and partly rescued the inhibitory effects of OM on viral replication. We demonstrated that OM is an effective antiviral agent; and that ERp57 is one of its cellular effectors against EV71 infection.

  6. ANTI-VIRAL ACTIVITY OF GLYCIRRHETINIC AND GLYCIRRHIZIC ACIDS

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    V. V. Zarubaev

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Influenza is a highly contagious human disease. In the course of use of antiviral drugs drug-resistant strains of the virus are formed, resulting in reduced efficiency of the chemotherapy. The review describes the biological activity of glycirrhetinic (GLA and glycirrhizic (GA acids in terms of their use as a therapeutic agent for viral infections. So, these compounds are against a broad spectrum of viruses, including herpes, corona-, alphaand flaviviruses, human immunodeficiency virus, vaccinia virus, poliovirus type I, vesicular stomatitis virus and influenza A virus. These data indicate that anti-viral effect of these compounds is due to several types of activity — direct antiviral effects, effects on cellular proand anti-viral and immunomodulating pathways, in particular by activation of innate immunity system. GA interferes with early steps of the viral reproductive cycle such as virus binding to its receptor, the absorption of the virus by endocytosis or virus decapsidation in the cytoplasm. This is due to the effect of GA-induced reduction of membrane fluidity. Thus, one mechanism for the antiviral activity of GA is that GA molecule increases the rigidity of cellular and viral membranes after incorporation in there. This results in increasing of energy threshold required for the formation of negative curvature at the fusion zones, as well as difficult lateral migration of the virus-receptor complexes. In addition, glycyrrhizin prevents interaction of viral nucleoprotein with cellular protein HMGB1, which is necessary for the viral life cycle. Glycyrrhizin also inhibits the induction of oxidative stress during influenza infection, exhibiting antioxidant properties, which leads to a reduction of virus-induced production of cytokines/chemokines, without affecting the replication of the virus. A wide spectrum of biological activity and effect on various aspects of the viral pathogenesis substantiate the effect of GA and GLA as a component

  7. Antiviral Defense Mechanisms in Honey Bees

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brutscher, Laura M.; Daughenbaugh, Katie F.; Flenniken, Michelle L.

    2015-01-01

    Honey bees are significant pollinators of agricultural crops and other important plant species. High annual losses of honey bee colonies in North America and in some parts of Europe have profound ecological and economic implications. Colony losses have been attributed to multiple factors including RNA viruses, thus understanding bee antiviral defense mechanisms may result in the development of strategies that mitigate colony losses. Honey bee antiviral defense mechanisms include RNA-interference, pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) triggered signal transduction cascades, and reactive oxygen species generation. However, the relative importance of these and other pathways is largely uncharacterized. Herein we review the current understanding of honey bee antiviral defense mechanisms and suggest important avenues for future investigation. PMID:26273564

  8. Zinc-finger antiviral protein inhibits XMRV infection.

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    Xinlu Wang

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The zinc-finger antiviral protein (ZAP is a host factor that specifically inhibits the replication of certain viruses, including Moloney murine leukemia virus (MoMLV, HIV-1, and certain alphaviruses and filoviruses. ZAP binds to specific viral mRNAs and recruits cellular mRNA degradation machinery to degrade the target RNA. The common features of ZAP-responsive RNA sequences remain elusive and thus whether a virus is susceptible to ZAP can only be determined experimentally. Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV is a recently identified γ-retrovirus that was originally thought to be involved in prostate cancer and chronic fatigue syndrome but recently proved to be a laboratory artefact. Nonetheless, XMRV as a new retrovirus has been extensively studied. Since XMRV and MoMLV share only 67.9% sequence identity in the 3'UTRs, which is the target sequence of ZAP in MoMLV, whether XMRV is susceptible to ZAP remains to be determined. FINDINGS: We constructed an XMRV-luc vector, in which the coding sequences of Gag-Pol and part of Env were replaced with luciferase-coding sequence. Overexpression of ZAP potently inhibited the expression of XMRV-luc in a ZAP expression-level-dependent manner, while downregulation of endogenous ZAP rendered cells more sensitive to infection. Furthermore, ZAP inhibited the spreading of replication-competent XMRV. Consistent with the previously reported mechanisms by which ZAP inhibits viral infection, ZAP significantly inhibited the accumulation of XMRV-luc mRNA in the cytoplasm. The ZAP-responsive element in XMRV mRNA was mapped to the 3'UTR. CONCLUSIONS: ZAP inhibits XMRV replication by preventing the accumulation of viral mRNA in the cytoplasm. Documentation of ZAP inhibiting XMRV helps to broaden the spectrum of ZAP's antiviral activity. Comparison of the target sequences of ZAP in XMRV and MoMLV helps to better understand the features of ZAP-responsive elements.

  9. Antiprotozoan and Antiviral Activities of Non-Cytotoxic Truncated and Variant Analogues of Mussel Defensin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Philippe Roch

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available We previously reported the crucial role displayed by loop 3 of defensin isolated from the Mediterranean mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis, in antibacterial and antifungal activities. We now investigated antiprotozoan and antiviral activities of some previously reported fragments B, D, E, P and Q. Two fragments (D and P efficiently killed Trypanosoma brucei (ID50 4–12 μM and Leishmania major (ID50 12–45 μM in a time/dose-dependent manner. Killing of T. brucei started as early as 1 h after initiation of contact with fragment D and reached 55% mortality after 6 h. Killing was temperature dependent and a temperature of 4°C efficiently impaired the ability to kill T. brucei. Fragments bound to the entire external epithelium of T. brucei. Prevention of HIV-1 infestation was obtained only with fragments P and Q at 20 μM. Even if fragment P was active on both targets, the specificity of fragments D and Q suggest that antiprotozoan and antiviral activities are mediated by different mechanisms. Truncated sequences of mussel defensin, including amino acid replacement to maintain 3D structure and increased positive net charge, also possess antiprotozoan and antiviral capabilities. New alternative and/or complementary antibiotics can be derived from the vast reservoir of natural antimicrobial peptides (AMPs contained in marine invertebrates.

  10. Interferon-Lambda: A Potent Regulator of Intestinal Viral Infections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sanghyun; Baldridge, Megan T

    2017-01-01

    Interferon-lambda (IFN-λ) is a recently described cytokine found to be of critical importance in innate immune regulation of intestinal viruses. Endogenous IFN-λ has potent antiviral effects and has been shown to control multiple intestinal viruses and may represent a factor that contributes to human variability in response to infection. Importantly, recombinant IFN-λ has therapeutic potential against enteric viral infections, many of which lack other effective treatments. In this mini-review, we describe recent advances regarding IFN-λ-mediated regulation of enteric viruses with important clinical relevance including rotavirus, reovirus, and norovirus. We also briefly discuss IFN-λ interactions with other cytokines important in the intestine, and how IFN-λ may play a role in regulation of intestinal viruses by the commensal microbiome. Finally, we indicate currently outstanding questions regarding IFN-λ control of enteric infections that remain to be explored to enhance our understanding of this important immune molecule.

  11. Antiviral activity of A771726, the active metabolite of leflunomide, against Junín virus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sepúlveda, Claudia S; García, Cybele C; Damonte, Elsa B

    2018-05-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of A771726, the active metabolite of leflunomide, (CONICET-UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad against the infection with Junín virus (JUNV), agent of Argentine hemorrhagic fever (AHF). The treatment with non-cytotoxic concentrations of A771726 of Vero and A549 cells infected with JUNV inhibited virus replication in a dose-dependent manner, as determined by virus yield reduction assay. The antiviral effectiveness of A771726 was not importantly affected by the multiplicity of infection and the virus strain. Moreover, the combination of A771726 and ribavirin had a significantly more potent antiviral activity than each single drug treatment. Mechanistic studies showed that the main action of A771726 is exerted before 6 h of JUNV infection. Accordingly, inhibition of viral RNA synthesis was detected in treated infected cells by real time RT-PCR. The exogenous addition of uridine or orotic acid produced a partial reversal of the inhibitory effect of A771726 on infective virus production whereas a total reversion was detected on JUNV RNA synthesis, probably by restoration of the enzymatic activity of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) and the intracellular pyrimidine pools. In conclusion, these results suggest that the antiviral target would be viral RNA synthesis through pyrimidine depletion, but any other effect of the compound on JUNV infection cannot be excluded. This study opens the possibility of the therapeutic application of a wide spectrum host-targeted compound alone or in combination with ribavirin to combat AHF as well as other human pathogenic arenaviruses. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. WITHDRAWN. Antiviral treatment for Bell's palsy (idiopathic facial paralysis).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gagyor, Ildiko; Madhok, Vishnu B; Daly, Fergus; Somasundara, Dhruvashree; Sullivan, Michael; Gammie, Fiona; Sullivan, Frank

    2015-05-04

    Corticosteroids are widely used in the treatment of idiopathic facial paralysis (Bell's palsy), but the effectiveness of additional treatment with an antiviral agent is uncertain. Significant morbidity can be associated with severe cases of Bell's palsy. To assess the effects of antiviral treatments alone or in combination with any other therapy for Bell's palsy. On 7 October 2014 we searched the Cochrane Neuromuscular Disease Group Specialized Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, DARE, NHS EED, and HTA. We also reviewed the bibliographies of the identified trials and contacted trial authors and known experts in the field and relevant drug companies to identify additional published or unpublished data. We searched clinical trials registries for ongoing studies. We considered randomised controlled trials or quasi-randomised controlled trials of antivirals with and without corticosteroids versus control therapies for the treatment of Bell's palsy. We excluded trials that had a high risk of bias in several domains. Pairs of authors independently assessed trials for relevance, eligibility, and risk of bias, using standard Cochrane procedures. Eleven trials, including 2883 participants, met the inclusion criteria and are included in the final analysis. We added four studies to the previous review for this update. Some of the trials were small, and a number were at high or unclear risk of bias. Other trials did not meet current best standards in allocation concealment and blinding. Incomplete recoveryWe found no significant benefit from adding antivirals to corticosteroids in comparison with corticosteroids alone for people with Bell's palsy (risk ratio (RR) 0.69, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.47 to 1.02, n = 1715). For people with severe Bell's palsy (House-Brackmann scores of 5 and 6 or the equivalent in other scales), we found a reduction in the rate of incomplete recovery at month six when antivirals plus corticosteroids were used (RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.41 to 0

  13. The in vitro and in vivo evaluation of ddC as a topical antiviral for ocular adenovirus infections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romanowski, Eric G; Yates, Kathleen A; Gordon, Y Jerold

    2009-11-01

    To evaluate the antiviral activity of 2', 3'-dideoxycytidine (ddC) in vitro against a panel of ocular adenovirus serotypes and in vivo in the ocular Ad5/NZW rabbit replication model. In vitro, the 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC(50)) of ddC and cidofovir were determined using standard plaque-reduction assays. In vivo, 40 rabbits were topically inoculated in both eyes with Ad5 after corneal scarification. On day 1, the rabbits were equally divided into four topical treatment groups: 3% ddC; 2% ddC; 0.5% cidofovir; and saline. ddC and saline eyes were treated four times daily for 7 days, and cidofovir-treated eyes were treated twice daily for 7 days. Eyes were cultured for virus a multiple times over 2 weeks. The in vitro IC(50) for ddC ranged from 0.18 to 1.85 microg/mL, whereas those for cidofovir ranged from 0.018 to 5.47 microg/mL. ddC was more potent than cidofovir for seven of nine serotypes. In vivo, 3% ddC, 2% ddC, and 0.5% cidofovir significantly reduced the number of Ad5-positive cultures per total (days 1-14), mean Ad5 ocular titer (days 1-5), and duration of shedding (among other outcome measures) compared with the saline control. The 3% and 2% ddC treatments were significantly more efficacious than the 0.5% cidofovir treatment in the parameters listed above. ddC demonstrated potent antiadenovirus activity in vitro and in vivo. Systemic safety studies after topical ocular administration are needed to evaluate ddC as a topical antiviral treatment for adenoviral ocular infections in the target population.

  14. [Antiviral activity of different drugs in vitro against viruses of bovine infectious rhinotracheitis and bovine diarrhea].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glotov, A G; Glotova, T I; Sergeev, A A; Belkina, T V; Sergeev, A N

    2004-01-01

    In vitro experiments studied the antiviral activity of 11 different drugs against viruses of bovine infective rhinotracheitis (BIRT) and bovine viral diarrhea (BVD). The 50% inhibiting concentrations of the test agents were determined in the monolayers of MDBK and KCT cell cultures. Only did phosprenyl show a virucidal activity against BIRT virus. All the tested drugs significantly inhibited the reproduction of BIRT virus in the sensitive MDBK cell cultures. Thus, bromuridin, acyclovir, ribavirin and methisazonum inhibited the virus by > or = 100,000 times; liposomal ribavirin, gossypolum, anandinum, polyprenolum, phosprenyl, by 1000-10,000 times; eracond and argovit, by 100 times. In experiments on BVD virus, the cultured KCT cells displayed the antiviral activity of bromuridin, phosprenil, polyprenolum, methisazonum, acyclovir, gossypolum, argovit, and ribavirin (in two variants), which caused a statistically significant (100-10,000-fold) decrease in the productive activity of this virus. Eracond and anandid proved to be ineffective.

  15. Antiviral Activity of Favipiravir (T-705) against a Broad Range of Paramyxoviruses In Vitro and against Human Metapneumovirus in Hamsters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jochmans, D; van Nieuwkoop, S; Smits, S L; Neyts, J; Fouchier, R A M; van den Hoogen, B G

    2016-08-01

    The clinical impact of infections with respiratory viruses belonging to the family Paramyxoviridae argues for the development of antiviral therapies with broad-spectrum activity. Favipiravir (T-705) has demonstrated potent antiviral activity against multiple RNA virus families and is presently in clinical evaluation for the treatment of influenza. Here we demonstrate in vitro activity of T-705 against the paramyxoviruses human metapneumovirus (HMPV), respiratory syncytial virus, human parainfluenza virus, measles virus, Newcastle disease virus, and avian metapneumovirus. In addition, we demonstrate activity against HMPV in hamsters. T-705 treatment inhibited replication of all paramyxoviruses tested in vitro, with 90% effective concentration (EC90) values of 8 to 40 μM. Treatment of HMPV-challenged hamsters with T-705 at 200 mg/kg of body weight/day resulted in 100% protection from infection of the lungs. In all treated and challenged animals, viral RNA remained detectable in the respiratory tract. The observation that T-705 treatment had a significant effect on infectious viral titers, with a limited effect on viral genome titers, is in agreement with its proposed mode of action of viral mutagenesis. However, next-generation sequencing of viral genomes isolated from treated and challenged hamsters did not reveal (hyper)mutation. Polymerase activity assays revealed a specific effect of T-705 on the activity of the HMPV polymerase. With the reported antiviral activity of T-705 against a broad range of RNA virus families, this small molecule is a promising broad-range antiviral drug candidate for limiting the viral burden of paramyxoviruses and for evaluation for treatment of infections with (re)emerging viruses, such as the henipaviruses. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  16. Antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral activities of some flavonoids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orhan, Didem Deliorman; Ozçelik, Berrin; Ozgen, Selda; Ergun, Fatma

    2010-08-20

    Antibacterial and antifungal activities of six plant-derived flavonoids representing two different structural groups were evaluated against standard strains of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus subtilis and their drug-resistant isolates, as well as fungi (Candida albicans, C. krusei) using the microdilution broth method. Herpes simplex virus Type-1 and Parainfluenza-3 virus were employed for antiviral assessment of the flavonoids using Madin-Darby bovine kidney and Vero cell lines. Ampicillin, gentamycin, ofloxacin, levofloxacin, fluconazole, ketoconazole, acyclovir, and oseltamivir were used as the control agents. All tested compounds (32-128 microg/ml) showed strong antimicrobial and antifungal activities against isolated strains of P. aeruginosa, A. baumanni, S. aureus, and C. krusei. Rutin, 5,7-dimethoxyflavanone-4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside and 5,7,3'-trihydroxy-flavanone-4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (0.2-0.05 microg/ml) were active against PI-3, while 5,7-dimethoxyflavanone-4'-O-[2''-O-(5'''-O-trans-cinnamoyl)-beta-D-apiofuranosyl]-beta-D-glucopyranoside (0.16-0.2 microg/ml) inhibited potently HSV-1. Copyright 2009 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  17. SCH-C (SCH 351125), an orally bioavailable, small molecule antagonist of the chemokine receptor CCR5, is a potent inhibitor of HIV-1 infection in vitro and in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strizki, J M; Xu, S; Wagner, N E; Wojcik, L; Liu, J; Hou, Y; Endres, M; Palani, A; Shapiro, S; Clader, J W; Greenlee, W J; Tagat, J R; McCombie, S; Cox, K; Fawzi, A B; Chou, C C; Pugliese-Sivo, C; Davies, L; Moreno, M E; Ho, D D; Trkola, A; Stoddart, C A; Moore, J P; Reyes, G R; Baroudy, B M

    2001-10-23

    We describe here the identification and properties of SCH-C (SCH 351125), a small molecule inhibitor of HIV-1 entry via the CCR5 coreceptor. SCH-C, an oxime-piperidine compound, is a specific CCR5 antagonist as determined in multiple receptor binding and signal transduction assays. This compound specifically inhibits HIV-1 infection mediated by CCR5 in U-87 astroglioma cells but has no effect on infection of CXCR4-expressing cells. SCH-C has broad and potent antiviral activity in vitro against primary HIV-1 isolates that use CCR5 as their entry coreceptor, with mean 50% inhibitory concentrations ranging between 0.4 and 9 nM. Moreover, SCH-C strongly inhibits the replication of an R5-using HIV-1 isolate in SCID-hu Thy/Liv mice. SCH-C has a favorable pharmacokinetic profile in rodents and primates with an oral bioavailability of 50-60% and a serum half-life of 5-6 h. On the basis of its novel mechanism of action, potent antiviral activity, and in vivo pharmacokinetic profile, SCH-C is a promising new candidate for therapeutic intervention of HIV infection.

  18. A Potent In Vivo Antitumor Efficacy of Novel Recombinant Type I Interferon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Kang-Jian; Yin, Xiao-Fei; Yang, Yuan-Qin; Li, Hui-Ling; Xu, Yan-Ni; Chen, Lie-Yang; Liu, Xi-Jun; Yuan, Su-Jing; Fang, Xian-Long; Xiao, Jing; Wu, Shuai; Xu, Hai-Neng; Chu, Liang; Katlinski, Kanstantsin V; Katlinskaya, Yuliya V; Guo, Rong-Bing; Wei, Guang-Wen; Wang, Da-Cheng; Liu, Xin-Yuan; Fuchs, Serge Y

    2017-04-15

    Purpose: Antiproliferative, antiviral, and immunomodulatory activities of endogenous type I IFNs (IFN1) prompt the design of recombinant IFN1 for therapeutic purposes. However, most of the designed IFNs exhibited suboptimal therapeutic efficacies against solid tumors. Here, we report evaluation of the in vitro and in vivo antitumorigenic activities of a novel recombinant IFN termed sIFN-I. Experimental Design: We compared primary and tertiary structures of sIFN-I with its parental human IFNα-2b, as well as affinities of these ligands for IFN1 receptor chains and pharmacokinetics. These IFN1 species were also compared for their ability to induce JAK-STAT signaling and expression of the IFN1-stimulated genes and to elicit antitumorigenic effects. Effects of sIFN-I on tumor angiogenesis and immune infiltration were also tested in transplanted and genetically engineered immunocompetent mouse models. Results: sIFN-I displayed greater affinity for IFNAR1 (over IFNAR2) chain of the IFN1 receptor and elicited a greater extent of IFN1 signaling and expression of IFN-inducible genes in human cells. Unlike IFNα-2b, sIFN-I induced JAK-STAT signaling in mouse cells and exhibited an extended half-life in mice. Treatment with sIFN-I inhibited intratumoral angiogenesis, increased CD8 + T-cell infiltration, and robustly suppressed growth of transplantable and genetically engineered tumors in immunodeficient and immunocompetent mice. Conclusions: These findings define sIFN-I as a novel recombinant IFN1 with potent preclinical antitumorigenic effects against solid tumor, thereby prompting the assessment of sIFN-I clinical efficacy in humans. Clin Cancer Res; 23(8); 2038-49. ©2016 AACR . ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

  19. Antiviral resistance and the control of pandemic influenza.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marc Lipsitch

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available The response to the next influenza pandemic will likely include extensive use of antiviral drugs (mainly oseltamivir, combined with other transmission-reducing measures. Animal and in vitro studies suggest that some strains of influenza may become resistant to oseltamivir while maintaining infectiousness (fitness. Use of antiviral agents on the scale anticipated for the control of pandemic influenza will create an unprecedented selective pressure for the emergence and spread of these strains. Nonetheless, antiviral resistance has received little attention when evaluating these plans.We designed and analyzed a deterministic compartmental model of the transmission of oseltamivir-sensitive and -resistant influenza infections during a pandemic. The model predicts that even if antiviral treatment or prophylaxis leads to the emergence of a transmissible resistant strain in as few as 1 in 50,000 treated persons and 1 in 500,000 prophylaxed persons, widespread use of antivirals may strongly promote the spread of resistant strains at the population level, leading to a prevalence of tens of percent by the end of a pandemic. On the other hand, even in circumstances in which a resistant strain spreads widely, the use of antivirals may significantly delay and/or reduce the total size of the pandemic. If resistant strains carry some fitness cost, then, despite widespread emergence of resistance, antivirals could slow pandemic spread by months or more, and buy time for vaccine development; this delay would be prolonged by nondrug control measures (e.g., social distancing that reduce transmission, or use of a stockpiled suboptimal vaccine. Surprisingly, the model suggests that such nondrug control measures would increase the proportion of the epidemic caused by resistant strains.The benefits of antiviral drug use to control an influenza pandemic may be reduced, although not completely offset, by drug resistance in the virus. Therefore, the risk of resistance

  20. Decision Making with Regard to Antiviral Intervention during an Influenza Pandemic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shim, Eunha; Chapman, Gretchen B.; Galvani, Alison P.

    2012-01-01

    Background Antiviral coverage is defined by the proportion of the population that takes antiviral prophylaxis or treatment. High coverage of an antiviral drug has epidemiological and evolutionary repercussions. Antivirals select for drug resistance within the population, and individuals may experience adverse effects. To determine optimal antiviral coverage in the context of an influenza outbreak, we compared 2 perspectives: 1) the individual level (the Nash perspective), and 2) the population level (utilitarian perspective). Methods We developed an epidemiological game-theoretic model of an influenza pandemic. The data sources were published literature and a national survey. The target population was the US population. The time horizon was 6 months. The perspective was individuals and the population overall. The interventions were antiviral prophylaxis and treatment. The outcome measures were the optimal coverage of antivirals in an influenza pandemic. Results At current antiviral pricing, the optimal Nash strategy is 0% coverage for prophylaxis and 30% coverage for treatment, whereas the optimal utilitarian strategy is 19% coverage for prophylaxis and 100% coverage for treatment. Subsidizing prophylaxis by $440 and treatment by $85 would bring the Nash and utilitarian strategies into alignment. For both prophylaxis and treatment, the optimal antiviral coverage decreases as pricing of antivirals increases. Our study does not incorporate the possibility of an effective vaccine and lacks probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Our survey also does not completely represent the US population. Because our model assumes a homogeneous population and homogeneous antiviral pricing, it does not incorporate heterogeneity of preference. Conclusions The optimal antiviral coverage from the population perspective and individual perspectives differs widely for both prophylaxis and treatment strategies. Optimal population and individual strategies for prophylaxis and treatment might

  1. New pathogenic viruses and novel antiviral drugs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Berkhout, Ben; Eggink, Dirk

    2011-01-01

    The journal Antiviral Research was conceived and born in 1980, and launched in 1981, a time when very few antiviral drugs were around. This 30-year celebration meeting was convened by the publisher Elsevier and chaired by Eric de Clercq (Leuven University), who has acted as editor-in-chief for the

  2. Antiviral Activity of Polyacrylic and Polymethacrylic Acids

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Somer, P.; De Clercq, E.; Billiau, A.; Schonne, E.; Claesen, M.

    1968-01-01

    Polyacrylic acid (PAA) and polymethacrylic acid (PMAA) were investigated for their antiviral properties in tissue culture. Compared to other related polyanions, as dextran sulfate, polystyrene sulfonate, polyvinyl sulfate, and polyphloroglucinol phosphate, PAA and PMAA were found to be significantly more antivirally active and less cytotoxic. PMAA added 24 hr prior to virus inoculation inhibited viral growth most efficiently but it was still effective when added 3 hr after infection. Neither a direct irreversible action on the virus nor inhibition of virus penetration into the cell could explain the antiviral activity of PMAA. PMAA inhibited the adsorption of the virus to the host cell and suppressed the one-cycle viral synthesis in tissue cultures inoculated with infectious RNA. PMID:4302187

  3. Recent developments in antiviral agents against enterovirus 71 infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Chee Wah; Lai, Jeffrey Kam Fatt; Sam, I-Ching; Chan, Yoke Fun

    2014-02-12

    Enterovirus 71 (EV-71) is the main etiological agent of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). Recent EV-71 outbreaks in Asia-Pacific were not limited to mild HFMD, but were associated with severe neurological complications such as aseptic meningitis and brainstem encephalitis, which may lead to cardiopulmonary failure and death. The absence of licensed therapeutics for clinical use has intensified research into anti-EV-71 development. This review highlights the potential antiviral agents targeting EV-71 attachment, entry, uncoating, translation, polyprotein processing, virus-induced formation of membranous RNA replication complexes, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. The strategies for antiviral development include target-based synthetic compounds, anti-rhinovirus and poliovirus libraries screening, and natural compound libraries screening. Growing knowledge of the EV-71 life cycle will lead to successful development of antivirals. The continued effort to develop antiviral agents for treatment is crucial in the absence of a vaccine. The coupling of antivirals with an effective vaccine will accelerate eradication of the disease.

  4. Susceptibilities of enterovirus D68, enterovirus 71, and rhinovirus 87 strains to various antiviral compounds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smee, Donald F; Evans, W Joseph; Nicolaou, K C; Tarbet, E Bart; Day, Craig W

    2016-07-01

    Compounds were evaluated for antiviral activity in rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cells against a recent 2014 clinical isolate of enterovirus D68 (EV-D68), a 1962 strain of EV-68D, rhinovirus 87 (RV-87, serologically the same as EV-D68), and enterovirus 71 (EV-71). Test substances included known-active antipicornavirus agents (enviroxime, guanidine HCl, pirodavir, pleconaril, and rupintrivir), nucleobase/nucleoside analogs (3-deazaguanine and ribavirin), and three novel epidithiodiketopiperazines (KCN-2,2'-epi-19, KCN-19, and KCN-21). Of these, rupintrivir was the most potent, with 50% inhibition of viral cytopathic effect (EC50) and 90% inhibition (EC90) of virus yield at 0.0022-0.0053 μM against EV-D68. Enviroxime, pleconaril and the KCN compounds showed efficacy at 0.01-0.3 μM; 3-deazaguanine and pirodavir inhibited EV-D68 at 7-13 μM, and guanidine HCl and ribavirin were inhibitory at 80-135 μM. Pirodavir was active against EV-71 (EC50 of 0.78 μM) but not against RV-87 or EV-D68, and all other compounds were less effective against EV-71 than against RV-87 and EV-D68. The most promising compound inhibiting both virus infections at low concentrations was rupintrivir. Antiviral activity was confirmed for the ten compounds in virus yield reduction (VYR) assays in RD cells, and for enviroxime, guanidine HCl, and pirodavir by cytopathic effect (CPE) assays in A549, HeLa-Ohio-1, and RD cells. These studies may serve as a basis for further pre-clinical discovery of anti-enterovirus inhibitors. Furthermore, the antiviral profiles and growth characteristics observed herein support the assertion that EV-D68 should be classified together with RV-87. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Generation and Characterization of ALX-0171, a Potent Novel Therapeutic Nanobody for the Treatment of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stohr, Thomas; Palomo, Concepción; Piedra, Pedro A.; Gilbert, Brian E.; Mas, Vicente; Millar, Andrena; Power, Ultan F.; Stortelers, Catelijne; Allosery, Koen; Melero, José A.; Depla, Erik

    2015-01-01

    Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an important causative agent of lower respiratory tract infections in infants and elderly individuals. Its fusion (F) protein is critical for virus infection. It is targeted by several investigational antivirals and by palivizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody used prophylactically in infants considered at high risk of severe RSV disease. ALX-0171 is a trimeric Nanobody that binds the antigenic site II of RSV F protein with subnanomolar affinity. ALX-0171 demonstrated in vitro neutralization superior to that of palivizumab against prototypic RSV subtype A and B strains. Moreover, ALX-0171 completely blocked replication to below the limit of detection for 87% of the viruses tested, whereas palivizumab did so for 18% of the viruses tested at a fixed concentration. Importantly, ALX-0171 was highly effective in reducing both nasal and lung RSV titers when delivered prophylactically or therapeutically directly to the lungs of cotton rats. ALX-0171 represents a potent novel antiviral compound with significant potential to treat RSV-mediated disease. PMID:26438495

  6. Ruxolitinib and Tofacitinib Are Potent and Selective Inhibitors of HIV-1 Replication and Virus Reactivation In Vitro

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gavegnano, Christina; Detorio, Mervi; Montero, Catherine; Bosque, Alberto; Planelles, Vicente

    2014-01-01

    The JAK-STAT pathway is activated in both macrophages and lymphocytes upon human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection and thus represents an attractive cellular target to achieve HIV suppression and reduced inflammation, which may impact virus sanctuaries. Ruxolitinib and tofacitinib are JAK1/2 inhibitors that are FDA approved for rheumatoid arthritis and myelofibrosis, respectively, but their therapeutic application for treatment of HIV infection was unexplored. Both drugs demonstrated submicromolar inhibition of infection with HIV-1, HIV-2, and a simian-human immunodeficiency virus, RT-SHIV, across primary human or rhesus macaque lymphocytes and macrophages, with no apparent significant cytotoxicity at 2 to 3 logs above the median effective antiviral concentration. Combination of tofacitinib and ruxolitinib increased the efficacy by 53- to 161-fold versus that observed for monotherapy, respectively, and each drug applied alone to primary human lymphocytes displayed similar efficacy against HIV-1 containing various polymerase substitutions. Both drugs inhibited virus replication in lymphocytes stimulated with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) plus interleukin-2 (IL-2), but not PHA alone, and inhibited reactivation of latent HIV-1 at low-micromolar concentrations across the J-Lat T cell latency model and in primary human central memory lymphocytes. Thus, targeted inhibition of JAK provided a selective, potent, and novel mechanism to inhibit HIV-1 replication in lymphocytes and macrophages, replication of drug-resistant HIV-1, and reactivation of latent HIV-1 and has the potential to reset the immunologic milieu in HIV-infected individuals. PMID:24419350

  7. Antiviral activity of Lactobacillus reuteri Protectis against Coxsackievirus A and Enterovirus 71 infection in human skeletal muscle and colon cell lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ang, Lei Yin Emily; Too, Horng Khit Issac; Tan, Eng Lee; Chow, Tak-Kwong Vincent; Shek, Lynette Pei-Chi; Tham, Elizabeth Huiwen; Alonso, Sylvie

    2016-06-24

    Recurrence of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) pandemics continues to threaten public health. Despite increasing awareness and efforts, effective vaccine and drug treatment have yet to be available. Probiotics have gained recognition in the field of healthcare worldwide, and have been extensively prescribed to babies and young children to relieve gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances and diseases, associated or not with microbial infections. Since the faecal-oral axis represents the major route of HFMD transmission, transient persistence of probiotic bacteria in the GI tract may confer some protection against HFMD and limit transmission among children. In this work, the antiviral activity of two commercially available probiotics, namely Lactobacillus reuteri Protectis (L. reuteri Protectis) and Lactobacillus casei Shirota (L. casei Shirota), was assayed against Coxsackieviruses and Enterovirus 71 (EV71), the main agents responsible for HFMD. In vitro infection set-ups using human skeletal muscle and colon cell lines were designed to assess the antiviral effect of the probiotic bacteria during entry and post-entry steps of the infection cycle. Our findings indicate that L. reuteri Protectis displays a significant dose-dependent antiviral activity against Coxsackievirus type A (CA) strain 6 (CA6), CA16 and EV71, but not against Coxsackievirus type B strain 2. Our data support that the antiviral effect is likely achieved through direct physical interaction between bacteria and virus particles, which impairs virus entry into its mammalian host cell. In contrast, no significant antiviral effect was observed with L. casei Shirota. Should the antiviral activity of L. reuteri Protectis observed in vitro be translated in vivo, such probiotics-based therapeutic approach may have the potential to address the urgent need for a safe and effective means to protect against HFMD and limit its transmission among children.

  8. Antiviral potential of a diterpenoid compound sugiol from Metasequoia glyptostroboides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bajpai, Vivek K; Kim, Na-Hyung; Kim, Kangmin; Kang, Sun Chul

    2016-05-01

    This research reports first time antiviral activity of sugiol, a diterpenoid isolated from Metasequoia glyptostroboides in terms of its ability to inhibit in vitro growth of H1N1 influenza virus. Antiviral potential of sugiol was evaluated through hcytopathogenic reduction assay using Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell line. Sugiol (500 μg/ml) was found to exhibit considerable anti-cytopathic effect on MDCK cell line confirming its antiviral efficacy against H1N1 influenza virus. These findings strongly reinforce the suggestion that sugiol could be a candidate of choice in combinational regimen with potential antiviral efficacy.

  9. Self-interest versus group-interest in antiviral control

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boven, M. van; Klinkenberg, D.; Pen, I.; Weissing, F.J.; Heesterbeek, J.A.P.

    2008-01-01

    Antiviral agents have been hailed to hold considerable promise for the treatment and prevention of emerging viral diseases like H5N1 avian influenza and SARS. However, antiviral drugs are not completely harmless, and the conditions under which individuals are willing to participate in a

  10. Potential Antiviral Agents from Marine Fungi: An Overview

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soheil Zorofchian Moghadamtousi

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Biodiversity of the marine world is only partially subjected to detailed scientific scrutiny in comparison to terrestrial life. Life in the marine world depends heavily on marine fungi scavenging the oceans of lifeless plants and animals and entering them into the nutrient cycle by. Approximately 150 to 200 new compounds, including alkaloids, sesquiterpenes, polyketides, and aromatic compounds, are identified from marine fungi annually. In recent years, numerous investigations demonstrated the tremendous potential of marine fungi as a promising source to develop new antivirals against different important viruses, including herpes simplex viruses, the human immunodeficiency virus, and the influenza virus. Various genera of marine fungi such as Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium, and Fusarium were subjected to compound isolation and antiviral studies, which led to an illustration of the strong antiviral activity of a variety of marine fungi-derived compounds. The present review strives to summarize all available knowledge on active compounds isolated from marine fungi with antiviral activity.

  11. Rational design of highly potent HIV-1 fusion inhibitory proteins: Implication for developing antiviral therapeutics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ni Ling; Gao, George F.; Tien Po

    2005-01-01

    Recombinant protein containing one heptad-repeat 1 (HR1) segment and one HR2 segment of the HIV-1 gp41 (HR1-HR2) has been shown to fold into thermally stable six-helix bundle, representing the fusogenic core of gp41. In this study, we have used the fusogenic core as a scaffold to design HIV-1 fusion inhibitory proteins by linking another HR1 to the C terminus of HR1-HR2 (HR121) or additional HR2 to the N terminus of HR1-HR2 (HR212). Both recombinant proteins could be abundantly and solubly expressed and easily purified, exhibiting high stability and potent inhibitory activity on HIV-1 fusion with IC 50 values of 16.2 ± 2.8 and 2.8 ± 0.63 nM, respectively. These suggest that these rationally designed proteins can be further developed as novel anti-HIV-1 therapeutics

  12. Structure-based lead optimization to improve antiviral potency and ADMET properties of phenyl-1H-pyrrole-carboxamide entry inhibitors targeted to HIV-1 gp120.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curreli, Francesca; Belov, Dmitry S; Kwon, Young Do; Ramesh, Ranjith; Furimsky, Anna M; O'Loughlin, Kathleen; Byrge, Patricia C; Iyer, Lalitha V; Mirsalis, Jon C; Kurkin, Alexander V; Altieri, Andrea; Debnath, Asim K

    2018-05-12

    We are continuing our concerted effort to optimize our first lead entry antagonist, NBD-11021, which targets the Phe43 cavity of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp120, to improve antiviral potency and ADMET properties. In this report, we present a structure-based approach that helped us to generate working hypotheses to modify further a recently reported advanced lead entry antagonist, NBD-14107, which showed significant improvement in antiviral potency when tested in a single-cycle assay against a large panel of Env-pseudotyped viruses. We report here the synthesis of twenty-nine new compounds and evaluation of their antiviral activity in a single-cycle and multi-cycle assay to derive a comprehensive structure-activity relationship (SAR). We have selected three inhibitors with the high selectivity index for testing against a large panel of 55 Env-pseudotyped viruses representing a diverse set of clinical isolates of different subtypes. The antiviral activity of one of these potent inhibitors, 55 (NBD-14189), against some clinical isolates was as low as 63 nM. We determined the sensitivity of CD4-binding site mutated-pseudoviruses to these inhibitors to confirm that they target HIV-1 gp120. Furthermore, we assessed their ADMET properties and compared them to the clinical candidate attachment inhibitor, BMS-626529. The ADMET data indicate that some of these new inhibitors have comparable ADMET properties to BMS-626529 and can be optimized further to potential clinical candidates. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  13. Bioprospecting of Red Sea Sponges for Novel Antiviral Pharmacophores

    KAUST Repository

    O'Rourke, Aubrie

    2015-01-01

    the coast of Saudi Arabia serves as a newly accessible location, which provides the opportunity to bioprospect marine sponges with the purpose of identifying novel antiviral scaffolds. Antivirals are underrepresented in present day clinical trials, as well

  14. Icotinib (BPI-2009H), a novel EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, displays potent efficacy in preclinical studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Fenlai; Shen, Xiaoyan; Wang, Dechang; Xie, Guojian; Zhang, Xiaodong; Ding, Lieming; Hu, Yunyan; He, Wei; Wang, Yanping; Wang, Yinxiang

    2012-05-01

    Icotinib, one of the leading compounds selected from our compound library, was found to be a potent and specific epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) with an IC(50) of 5 nM. When profiled with 88 kinases, Icotinib only showed meaningful inhibitory activity to EGFR and its mutants. Icotinib blocked EGFR-mediated intracellular tyrosine phosphorylation (IC(50)=45 nM) in the human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cell line and inhibits tumor cell proliferation. In vivo studies demonstrated that Icotinib exhibited potent dose-dependent antitumor effects in nude mice carrying a variety of human tumor-derived xenografts. The drug was well tolerated at doses up to 120 mg/kg/day in mice without mortality or significant body weight loss during the treatment. A head to head randomized, double blind phase III trial using Gefitinib as an active control for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was finished recently (Trial registration ID: NCT01040780). The data shows that Icotinib was non-inferior to Gefitinib in terms of median progression free survival (PFS) and safety superior favor to Icotinib compared to Gefitinib. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Antiviral treatment among older adults hospitalized with influenza, 2006-2012.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mary Louise Lindegren

    Full Text Available To describe antiviral use among older, hospitalized adults during six influenza seasons (2006-2012 in Davidson County, Tennessee, USA.Among adults ≥50 years old hospitalized with symptoms of respiratory illness or non-localizing fever, we collected information on provider-initiated influenza testing and nasal/throat swabs for influenza by RT-PCR in a research laboratory, and calculated the proportion treated with antivirals.We enrolled 1753 adults hospitalized with acute respiratory illness. Only 26% (457/1753 of enrolled patients had provider-initiated influenza testing. Thirty-eight patients had a positive clinical laboratory test, representing 2.2% of total patients and 8.3% of tested patients. Among the 38 subjects with clinical laboratory-confirmed influenza, 26.3% received antivirals compared to only 4.5% of those with negative clinical influenza tests and 0.7% of those not tested (p<0.001. There were 125 (7.1% patients who tested positive for influenza in the research laboratory. Of those with research laboratory-confirmed influenza, 0.9%, 2.7%, and 2.8% received antivirals (p=.046 during pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic influenza seasons, respectively. Both research laboratory-confirmed influenza (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 3.04 95%CI 1.26-7.35 and clinical laboratory-confirmed influenza (AOR 3.05, 95%CI 1.07-8.71 were independently associated with antiviral treatment. Severity of disease, presence of a high-risk condition, and symptom duration were not associated with antiviral use.In urban Tennessee, antiviral use was low in patients recognized to have influenza by the provider as well as those unrecognized to have influenza. The use of antivirals remained low despite recommendations to treat all hospitalized patients with confirmed or suspected influenza.

  16. Antiviral Drugs: Seasonal Flu

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2010-09-29

    In this podcast, Dr. Joe Bresee explains the nature of antiviral drugs and how they are used for seasonal flu.  Created: 9/29/2010 by National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD).   Date Released: 9/29/2010.

  17. Antiviral lead compounds from marine sponges

    KAUST Repository

    Sagar, Sunil

    2010-10-11

    Marine sponges are currently one of the richest sources of pharmacologically active compounds found in the marine environment. These bioactive molecules are often secondary metabolites, whose main function is to enable and/or modulate cellular communication and defense. They are usually produced by functional enzyme clusters in sponges and/or their associated symbiotic microorganisms. Natural product lead compounds from sponges have often been found to be promising pharmaceutical agents. Several of them have successfully been approved as antiviral agents for clinical use or have been advanced to the late stages of clinical trials. Most of these drugs are used for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and herpes simplex virus (HSV). The most important antiviral lead of marine origin reported thus far is nucleoside Ara-A (vidarabine) isolated from sponge Tethya crypta. It inhibits viral DNA polymerase and DNA synthesis of herpes, vaccinica and varicella zoster viruses. However due to the discovery of new types of viruses and emergence of drug resistant strains, it is necessary to develop new antiviral lead compounds continuously. Several sponge derived antiviral lead compounds which are hopedto be developed as future drugs are discussed in this review. Supply problems are usually the major bottleneck to the development of these compounds as drugs during clinical trials. However advances in the field of metagenomics and high throughput microbial cultivation has raised the possibility that these techniques could lead to the cost-effective large scale production of such compounds. Perspectives on biotechnological methods with respect to marine drug development are also discussed. 2010 by the authors; licensee MDPI.

  18. The natural compound silvestrol is a potent inhibitor of Ebola virus replication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biedenkopf, Nadine; Lange-Grünweller, Kerstin; Schulte, Falk W; Weißer, Aileen; Müller, Christin; Becker, Dirk; Becker, Stephan; Hartmann, Roland K; Grünweller, Arnold

    2017-01-01

    The DEAD-box RNA helicase eIF4A, which is part of the heterotrimeric translation initiation complex in eukaryotes, is an important novel drug target in cancer research because its helicase activity is required to unwind extended and highly structured 5'-UTRs of several proto-oncogenes. Silvestrol, a natural compound isolated from the plant Aglaia foveolata, is a highly efficient, non-toxic and specific inhibitor of eIF4A. Importantly, 5'-capped viral mRNAs often contain structured 5'-UTRs as well, which may suggest a dependence on eIF4A for their translation by the host protein synthesis machinery. In view of the recent Ebola virus (EBOV) outbreak in West Africa, the identification of potent antiviral compounds is urgently required. Since Ebola mRNAs are 5'-capped and harbor RNA secondary structures in their extended 5'-UTRs, we initiated a BSL4 study to analyze silvestrol in EBOV-infected Huh-7 cells and in primary human macrophages for its antiviral activity. We observed that silvestrol inhibits EBOV infection at low nanomolar concentrations, as inferred from large reductions of viral titers. This correlated with an almost complete disappearance of EBOV proteins, comparable in effect to the translational shutdown of expression of the proto-oncoprotein PIM1, a cellular kinase known to be affected by silvestrol. Effective silvestrol concentrations were non-toxic in the tested cell systems. Thus, silvestrol appears to be a promising first-line drug for the treatment of acute EBOV and possibly other viral infections. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Nucleic acid-induced antiviral immunity in invertebrates: an evolutionary perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Pei-Hui; Weng, Shao-Ping; He, Jian-Guo

    2015-02-01

    Nucleic acids derived from viral pathogens are typical pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). In mammals, the recognition of viral nucleic acids by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which include Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and retinoic acid-inducible gene (RIG)-I-like receptors (RLRs), induces the release of inflammatory cytokines and type I interferons (IFNs) through the activation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and interferon regulatory factor (IRF) 3/7 pathways, triggering the host antiviral state. However, whether nucleic acids can induce similar antiviral immunity in invertebrates remains ambiguous. Several studies have reported that nucleic acid mimics, especially dsRNA mimic poly(I:C), can strongly induce non-specific antiviral immune responses in insects, shrimp, and oyster. This behavior shows multiple similarities to the hallmarks of mammalian IFN responses. In this review, we highlight the current understanding of nucleic acid-induced antiviral immunity in invertebrates. We also discuss the potential recognition and regulatory mechanisms that confer non-specific antiviral immunity on invertebrate hosts. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. DMPD: Regulation of mitochondrial antiviral signaling pathways. [Dynamic Macrophage Pathway CSML Database

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available 18549796 Regulation of mitochondrial antiviral signaling pathways. Moore CB, Ting J...P. Immunity. 2008 Jun;28(6):735-9. (.png) (.svg) (.html) (.csml) Show Regulation of mitochondrial antiviral ...signaling pathways. PubmedID 18549796 Title Regulation of mitochondrial antiviral signaling pathways. Author

  1. Anti-viral effect of herbal medicine Korean traditional Cynanchum ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Pestiviruses in general, and Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) in particular, present several potential targets for directed antiviral therapy. Material and Methods: The antiviral effect of Cynanchum paniculatum (Bge.) Kitag (Dog strangling vine: DS) extract on the bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) virus was tested. First ...

  2. Antiviral RNA silencing initiated in the absence of RDE-4, a double-stranded RNA binding protein, in Caenorhabditis elegans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Xunyang; Zhang, Rui; Wang, Jeffrey; Lu, Rui

    2013-10-01

    Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) processed from double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) of virus origins mediate potent antiviral defense through a process referred to as RNA interference (RNAi) or RNA silencing in diverse organisms. In the simple invertebrate Caenorhabditis elegans, the RNAi process is initiated by a single Dicer, which partners with the dsRNA binding protein RDE-4 to process dsRNA into viral siRNAs (viRNAs). Notably, in C. elegans this RNA-directed viral immunity (RDVI) also requires a number of worm-specific genes for its full antiviral potential. One such gene is rsd-2 (RNAi spreading defective 2), which was implicated in RDVI in our previous studies. In the current study, we first established an antiviral role by showing that rsd-2 null mutants permitted higher levels of viral RNA accumulation, and that this enhanced viral susceptibility was reversed by ectopic expression of RSD-2. We then examined the relationship of rsd-2 with other known components of RNAi pathways and established that rsd-2 functions in a novel pathway that is independent of rde-4 but likely requires the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase RRF-1, suggesting a critical role for RSD-2 in secondary viRNA biogenesis, likely through coordinated action with RRF-1. Together, these results suggest that RDVI in the single-Dicer organism C. elegans depends on the collective actions of both RDE-4-dependent and RDE-4-independent mechanisms to produce RNAi-inducing viRNAs. Our study reveals, for the first time, a novel siRNA-producing mechanism in C. elegans that bypasses the need for a dsRNA-binding protein.

  3. Comparative analysis of the lambda-interferons IL-28A and IL-29 regarding their transcriptome and their antiviral properties against hepatitis C virus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julia Diegelmann

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Specific differences in signaling and antiviral properties between the different Lambda-interferons, a novel group of interferons composed of IL-28A, IL-28B and IL-29, are currently unknown. This is the first study comparatively investigating the transcriptome and the antiviral properties of the Lambda-interferons IL-28A and IL-29. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Expression studies were performed by microarray analysis, quantitative PCR (qPCR, reporter gene assays and immunoluminometric assays. Signaling was analyzed by Western blot. HCV replication was measured in Huh-7 cells expressing subgenomic HCV replicon. All hepatic cell lines investigated as well as primary hepatocytes expressed both IFN-λ receptor subunits IL-10R2 and IFN-λR1. Both, IL-28A and IL-29 activated STAT1 signaling. As revealed by microarray analysis, similar genes were induced by both cytokines in Huh-7 cells (IL-28A: 117 genes; IL-29: 111 genes, many of them playing a role in antiviral immunity. However, only IL-28A was able to significantly down-regulate gene expression (n = 272 down-regulated genes. Both cytokines significantly decreased HCV replication in Huh-7 cells. In comparison to liver biopsies of patients with non-viral liver disease, liver biopsies of patients with HCV showed significantly increased mRNA expression of IL-28A and IL-29. Moreover, IL-28A serum protein levels were elevated in HCV patients. In a murine model of viral hepatitis, IL-28 expression was significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: IL-28A and IL-29 are up-regulated in HCV patients and are similarly effective in inducing antiviral genes and inhibiting HCV replication. In contrast to IL-29, IL-28A is a potent gene repressor. Both IFN-λs may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of chronic HCV.

  4. Hydroxamic acid derivatives as potent peptide deformylase inhibitors and antibacterial agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Apfel, C; Banner, D W; Bur, D; Dietz, M; Hirata, T; Hubschwerlen, C; Locher, H; Page, M G; Pirson, W; Rossé, G; Specklin, J L

    2000-06-15

    Low-molecular-weight beta-sulfonyl- and beta-sulfinylhydroxamic acid derivatives have been synthesized and found to be potent inhibitors of Escherichia coli peptide deformylase (PDF). Most of the compounds synthesized and tested displayed antibacterial activities that cover several pathogens found in respiratory tract infections, including Chlamydia pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis. The potential of these compounds as antibacterial agents is discussed with respect to selectivity, intracellular concentrations in bacteria, and potential for resistance development.

  5. Iota-Carrageenan is a potent inhibitor of rhinovirus infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meier Christiane

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Human rhinoviruses (HRVs are the predominant cause of common cold. In addition, HRVs are implicated in the worsening of COPD and asthma, as well as the loss of lung transplants. Despite significant efforts, no anti-viral agent is approved for the prevention or treatment of HRV-infection. Results In this study we demonstrate that Iota-Carrageenan, a sulphated polysaccharide derived from red seaweed, is a potent anti-rhinoviral substance in-vitro. Iota-Carrageenan reduces HRV growth and inhibits the virus induced cythopathic effect of infected HeLa cells. In addition, Iota-Carrageenan effectively prevents the replication of HRV1A, HRV2, HRV8, HRV14, HRV16, HRV83 and HRV84 in primary human nasal epithelial cells in culture. The data suggest that Iota-Carrageenan acts primarily by preventing the binding or the entry of virions into the cells. Conclusion Since HRV infections predominately occur in the nasal cavity and the upper respiratory tract, a targeted treatment with a product containing Iota-Carrageenan is conceivable. Clinical trials are needed to determine whether Iota-Carrageenan-based products are effective in the treatment or prophylaxis of HRV infections.

  6. Structures of Two Coronavirus Main Proteases: Implications for Substrate Binding and Antiviral Drug Design

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xue, Xiaoyu; Yu, Hongwei; Yang, Haitao; Xue, Fei; Wu, Zhixin; Shen, Wei; Li, Jun; Zhou, Zhe; Ding, Yi; Zhao, Qi; Zhang, Xuejun C.; Liao, Ming; Bartlam, Mark; Rao, Zihe (SCAU); (Tsinghua); (Chinese Aca. Sci.)

    2008-07-21

    Coronaviruses (CoVs) can infect humans and multiple species of animals, causing a wide spectrum of diseases. The coronavirus main protease (M{sup pro}), which plays a pivotal role in viral gene expression and replication through the proteolytic processing of replicase polyproteins, is an attractive target for anti-CoV drug design. In this study, the crystal structures of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) MP{sup pro} and a severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV (SARS-CoV) M{sup pro} mutant (H41A), in complex with an N-terminal autocleavage substrate, were individually determined to elucidate the structural flexibility and substrate binding of M{sup pro}. A monomeric form of IBV M{sup pro} was identified for the first time in CoV M{sup pro} structures. A comparison of these two structures to other available M{sup pro} structures provides new insights for the design of substrate-based inhibitors targeting CoV M{sup pro}s. Furthermore, a Michael acceptor inhibitor (named N3) was cocrystallized with IBV M{sup pro} and was found to demonstrate in vitro inactivation of IBV M{sup pro} and potent antiviral activity against IBV in chicken embryos. This provides a feasible animal model for designing wide-spectrum inhibitors against CoV-associated diseases. The structure-based optimization of N3 has yielded two more efficacious lead compounds, N27 and H16, with potent inhibition against SARS-CoV M{sup pro}.

  7. Antiviral activity and mechanism of action of arbidol against Hantaan ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Keywords: Hantavirus, Arbidol, Toll-like receptors, inducible nitric oxide synthase, Antiviral activity, ... hantavirus infection. Arbidol is a broad-spectrum antiviral compound that has been shown to have inhibitory effect on influenza virus [4,5], respiratory syncytial virus [6], ..... species in hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome.

  8. Rational design of novel highly potent and selective phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase III-beta (PI4KB) inhibitors as broad-spectrum antiviral agents and tools for chemical biology

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Mejdrová, Ivana; Humpolíčková, Jana; Nencka, Radim; Bouřa, Evžen

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 284, Suppl 1 (2017), s. 333 ISSN 1742-464X. [FEBS Congress /42./ From Molecules to Cells and Back. 10.09.2017-14.09.2017, Jerusalem] R&D Projects: GA ČR GJ15-21030Y; GA MŠk LO1302 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : PI4KB * antivirals Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry

  9. In vitro antiviral activity of plant extracts from Asteraceae medicinal plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Visintini Jaime, María F; Redko, Flavia; Muschietti, Liliana V; Campos, Rodolfo H; Martino, Virginia S; Cavallaro, Lucia V

    2013-07-27

    Due to the high prevalence of viral infections having no specific treatment and the constant appearance of resistant viral strains, the development of novel antiviral agents is essential. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antiviral activity against bovine viral diarrhea virus, herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), poliovirus type 2 (PV-2) and vesicular stomatitis virus of organic (OE) and aqueous extracts (AE) from: Baccharis gaudichaudiana, B. spicata, Bidens subalternans, Pluchea sagittalis, Tagetes minuta and Tessaria absinthioides. A characterization of the antiviral activity of B. gaudichaudiana OE and AE and the bioassay-guided fractionation of the former and isolation of one active compound is also reported. The antiviral activity of the OE and AE of the selected plants was evaluated by reduction of the viral cytopathic effect. Active extracts were then assessed by plaque reduction assays. The antiviral activity of the most active extracts was characterized by evaluating their effect on the pretreatment, the virucidal activity and the effect on the adsorption or post-adsorption period of the viral cycle. The bioassay-guided fractionation of B. gaudichaudiana OE was carried out by column chromatography followed by semipreparative high performance liquid chromatography fractionation of the most active fraction and isolation of an active compound. The antiviral activity of this compound was also evaluated by plaque assay. B. gaudichaudiana and B. spicata OE were active against PV-2 and VSV. T. absinthioides OE was only active against PV-2. The corresponding three AE were active against HSV-1. B. gaudichaudiana extracts (OE and AE) were the most selective ones with selectivity index (SI) values of 10.9 (PV-2) and > 117 (HSV-1). For this reason, both extracts of B. gaudichaudiana were selected to characterize their antiviral effects. Further bioassay-guided fractionation of B. gaudichaudiana OE led to an active fraction, FC (EC50 = 3.1 μg/ml; SI = 37

  10. Bioprospecting of Red Sea Sponges for Novel Antiviral Pharmacophores

    KAUST Repository

    O'Rourke, Aubrie

    2015-05-01

    Natural products offer many possibilities for the treatment of disease. More than 70% of the Earth’s surface is ocean, and recent exploration and access has allowed for new additions to this catalog of natural treasures. The Central Red Sea off the coast of Saudi Arabia serves as a newly accessible location, which provides the opportunity to bioprospect marine sponges with the purpose of identifying novel antiviral scaffolds. Antivirals are underrepresented in present day clinical trials, as well as in the academic screens of marine natural product libraries. Here a high-throughput pipeline was initiated by prefacing the antiviral screen with an Image-based High-Content Screening (HCS) technique in order to identify candidates with antiviral potential. Prospective candidates were tested in a biochemical or cell-based assay for the ability to inhibit the NS3 protease of the West Nile Virus (WNV NS protease) as well as replication and reverse transcription of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 (HIV-1). The analytical chemistry techniques of High-Performance Liquid Chromatograpy (HPLC), Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS), and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) where used in order to identify the compounds responsible for the characteristic antiviral activity of the selected sponge fractions. We have identified a 3-alkyl pyridinium from Amphimedon chloros as the causative agent of the observed WNV NS3 protease inhibition in vitro. Additionally, we identified debromohymenialdisine, hymenialdisine, and oroidin from Stylissa carteri as prospective scaffolds capable of HIV-1 inhibition.

  11. An antiviral protein from Bougainvillea spectabilis roots; purification and characterisation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balasaraswathi, R; Sadasivam, S; Ward, M; Walker, J M

    1998-04-01

    An antiviral protein active against mechanical transmission of tomato spotted wilt virus was identified in the root tissues of Bougainvillea spectabilis Willd. Bougainvillea Antiviral Protein I (BAP I) was purified to apparent homogeneity from the roots of Bougainvillea by ammonium sulphate precipitation, CM- and DEAE-Sepharose chromatography and reverse phase HPLC. BAP I is a highly basic protein (pI value > 8.6) with an Mr of 28,000. The N-terminal sequence of BAP I showed homology with other plant antiviral proteins. Preliminary tests suggest that purified BAP I is capable of interfering with in vitro protein synthesis.

  12. Abietane-Type Diterpenoid Amides with Highly Potent and Selective Activity against Leishmania donovani and Trypanosoma cruzi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pirttimaa, Minni; Nasereddin, Abedelmajeed; Kopelyanskiy, Dmitry; Kaiser, Marcel; Yli-Kauhaluoma, Jari; Oksman-Caldentey, Kirsi-Marja; Brun, Reto; Jaffe, Charles L; Moreira, Vânia M; Alakurtti, Sami

    2016-02-26

    Dehydroabietylamine (1) was used as a starting material to synthesize a small library of dehydroabietyl amides by simple and facile methods, and their activities against two disease-causing trypanosomatids, namely, Leishmania donovani and Trypanosoma cruzi, were assayed. The most potent compound, 10, an amide of dehydroabietylamine and acrylic acid, was found to be highly potent against these parasites, displaying an IC50 value of 0.37 μM against L. donovani axenic amastigotes and an outstanding selectivity index of 63. Moreover, compound 10 fully inhibited the growth of intracellular amastigotes in Leishmania donovani-infected human macrophages with a low IC50 value of 0.06 μM. This compound was also highly effective against T. cruzi amastigotes residing in L6 cells with an IC50 value of 0.6 μM and high selectivity index of 58, being 3.5 times more potent than the reference compound benznidazole. The potent activity of this compound and its relatively low cytotoxicity make it attractive for further development in pursuit of better drugs for patients suffering from leishmaniasis and Chagas disease.

  13. Niclosamide is a proton carrier and targets acidic endosomes with broad antiviral effects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jurgeit, Andreas; McDowell, Robert; Moese, Stefan; Meldrum, Eric; Schwendener, Reto; Greber, Urs F

    2012-01-01

    Viruses use a limited set of host pathways for infection. These pathways represent bona fide antiviral targets with low likelihood of viral resistance. We identified the salicylanilide niclosamide as a broad range antiviral agent targeting acidified endosomes. Niclosamide is approved for human use against helminthic infections, and has anti-neoplastic and antiviral effects. Its mode of action is unknown. Here, we show that niclosamide, which is a weak lipophilic acid inhibited infection with pH-dependent human rhinoviruses (HRV) and influenza virus. Structure-activity studies showed that antiviral efficacy and endolysosomal pH neutralization co-tracked, and acidification of the extracellular medium bypassed the virus entry block. Niclosamide did not affect the vacuolar H(+)-ATPase, but neutralized coated vesicles or synthetic liposomes, indicating a proton carrier mode-of-action independent of any protein target. This report demonstrates that physico-chemical interference with host pathways has broad range antiviral effects, and provides a proof of concept for the development of host-directed antivirals.

  14. Niclosamide is a proton carrier and targets acidic endosomes with broad antiviral effects.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andreas Jurgeit

    Full Text Available Viruses use a limited set of host pathways for infection. These pathways represent bona fide antiviral targets with low likelihood of viral resistance. We identified the salicylanilide niclosamide as a broad range antiviral agent targeting acidified endosomes. Niclosamide is approved for human use against helminthic infections, and has anti-neoplastic and antiviral effects. Its mode of action is unknown. Here, we show that niclosamide, which is a weak lipophilic acid inhibited infection with pH-dependent human rhinoviruses (HRV and influenza virus. Structure-activity studies showed that antiviral efficacy and endolysosomal pH neutralization co-tracked, and acidification of the extracellular medium bypassed the virus entry block. Niclosamide did not affect the vacuolar H(+-ATPase, but neutralized coated vesicles or synthetic liposomes, indicating a proton carrier mode-of-action independent of any protein target. This report demonstrates that physico-chemical interference with host pathways has broad range antiviral effects, and provides a proof of concept for the development of host-directed antivirals.

  15. Assessment of Inhibition of Ebola Virus Progeny Production by Antiviral Compounds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Falzarano, Darryl

    2017-01-01

    Assessment of small molecule compounds against filoviruses, such as Ebola virus, has identified numerous compounds that appear to have antiviral activity and should presumably be further investigated in animal efficacy trials. However, despite the many compounds that are purported to have good antiviral activity in in vitro studies, there are few instances where any efficacy has been reported in nonhuman primate models. Many of the high-throughput screening assays use reporter systems that only recapitulate a portion of the virus life cycle, while other assays only assess antiviral activity at relatively early time points. Moreover, many assays do not assess virus progeny production. A more in-depth evaluation of small numbers of test compounds is useful to economize resources and to generate higher quality antiviral hits. Assessing virus progeny production as late as 5 days post-infection allows for the elimination of compounds that have initial antiviral effects that are not sustained or where the virus rapidly develops resistance. While this eliminates many potential lead compounds that may be worthy of further structure-activity relationship (SAR) development, it also quickly excludes compounds that in their current form are unlikely to be effective in animal models. In addition, the inclusion of multiple assays that assess both cell viability and cell cytotoxicity, via different mechanisms, provides a more thorough assessment to exclude compounds that are not direct-acting antivirals.

  16. Antiviral therapy for prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis C

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kimer, Nina; Dahl, Emilie Kristine; Gluud, Lise Lotte

    2012-01-01

    To determine whether antiviral therapy reduces the risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in chronic hepatitis C.......To determine whether antiviral therapy reduces the risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in chronic hepatitis C....

  17. Antiviral agents for infectious mononucleosis (glandular fever).

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Paor, Muireann; O'Brien, Kirsty; Fahey, Tom; Smith, Susan M

    2016-12-08

    Infectious mononucleosis (IM) is a clinical syndrome, usually caused by the Epstein Barr virus (EPV), characterised by lymphadenopathy, fever and sore throat. Most cases of symptomatic IM occur in older teenagers or young adults. Usually IM is a benign self-limiting illness and requires only symptomatic treatment. However, occasionally the disease course can be complicated or prolonged and lead to decreased productivity in terms of school or work. Antiviral medications have been used to treat IM, but the use of antivirals for IM is controversial. They may be effective by preventing viral replication which helps to keep the virus inactive. However, there are no guidelines for antivirals in IM. To assess the effects of antiviral therapy for infectious mononucleosis (IM). We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, Issue 3, March 2016), which contains the Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) Group's Specialised Register, MEDLINE (1946 to 15 April 2016), Embase (1974 to 15 April 2016), CINAHL (1981 to 15 April 2016), LILACS (1982 to 15 April 2016) and Web of Science (1955 to 15 April 2016). We searched the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov for completed and ongoing trials. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing antivirals versus placebo or no treatment in IM. We included trials of immunocompetent participants of any age or sex with clinical and laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of IM, who had symptoms for up to 14 days. Our primary outcomes were time to clinical recovery and adverse events and side effects of medication. Secondary outcomes included duration of abnormal clinical examination, complications, viral shedding, health-related quality of life, days missing from school or work and economic outcomes. Two review authors independently assessed studies for inclusion, assessed the included studies' risk of bias and extracted data using a

  18. New World feline APOBEC3 potently controls inter-genus lentiviral transmission.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Konno, Yoriyuki; Nagaoka, Shumpei; Kimura, Izumi; Yamamoto, Keisuke; Kagawa, Yumiko; Kumata, Ryuichi; Aso, Hirofumi; Ueda, Mahoko Takahashi; Nakagawa, So; Kobayashi, Tomoko; Koyanagi, Yoshio; Sato, Kei

    2018-04-10

    The apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide-like 3 (APOBEC3; A3) gene family appears only in mammalian genomes. Some A3 proteins can be incorporated into progeny virions and inhibit lentiviral replication. In turn, the lentiviral viral infectivity factor (Vif) counteracts the A3-mediated antiviral effect by degrading A3 proteins. Recent investigations have suggested that lentiviral vif genes evolved to combat mammalian APOBEC3 proteins, and have further proposed that the Vif-A3 interaction may help determine the co-evolutionary history of cross-species lentiviral transmission in mammals. Here we address the co-evolutionary relationship between two New World felids, the puma (Puma concolor) and the bobcat (Lynx rufus), and their lentiviruses, which are designated puma lentiviruses (PLVs). We demonstrate that PLV-A Vif counteracts the antiviral action of APOBEC3Z3 (A3Z3) of both puma and bobcat, whereas PLV-B Vif counteracts only puma A3Z3. The species specificity of PLV-B Vif is irrespective of the phylogenic relationships of feline species in the genera Puma, Lynx and Acinonyx. We reveal that the amino acid at position 178 in the puma and bobcat A3Z3 is exposed on the protein surface and determines the sensitivity to PLV-B Vif-mediated degradation. Moreover, although both the puma and bobcat A3Z3 genes are polymorphic, their sensitivity/resistance to PLV Vif-mediated degradation is conserved. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study suggesting that the host A3 protein potently controls inter-genus lentiviral transmission. Our findings provide the first evidence suggesting that the co-evolutionary arms race between lentiviruses and mammals has occurred in the New World.

  19. DMPD: What is disrupting IFN-alpha's antiviral activity? [Dynamic Macrophage Pathway CSML Database

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available 15283983 What is disrupting IFN-alpha's antiviral activity? Mbow ML, Sarisky RT. Tr...ends Biotechnol. 2004 Aug;22(8):395-9. (.png) (.svg) (.html) (.csml) Show What is disrupting IFN-alpha's ant...iviral activity? PubmedID 15283983 Title What is disrupting IFN-alpha's antiviral activity? Authors Mbow ML,

  20. Extracts of Equisetum giganteum L and Copaifera reticulate Ducke show strong antiviral activity against the sexually transmitted pathogen herpes simplex virus type 2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Churqui, Marianela Patzi; Lind, Liza; Thörn, Karolina; Svensson, Alexandra; Savolainen, Otto; Aranda, Katty Terrazas; Eriksson, Kristina

    2018-01-10

    Equisetum giganteum L and Copaifera reticulate Ducke have been traditionally used by women of the Tacana tribe in the Bolivian Amazonas for genital hygiene and for treatment of genital infection/inflammation. To assess the ability of extracts from Equisetum giganteum L and Copaifera reticulate Ducke to block genital viral infection by herpes simplex virus type 2. Equisetum giganteum L and Copaifera reticulate Ducke were collected from the Amazon region of La Paz, Bolivia. Extracts were prepared and screened for anti-viral activity against herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) using both in vitro and in in vivo models of infection. Equisetum giganteum L and Copaifera reticulate Ducke efficiently blocked HSV-2 infection of cell cultures without major cell cytotoxic effects. Extracts of Equisetum giganteum L and Copaifera reticulate Ducke could prevent HSV-2 disease development when administered together with virus in a mouse model of genital HSV-2 infection. In vitro analyses revealed that both plant extracts exerted their anti-HSV-2 effects by interfering with viral cell attachment and entry, but could not block viral replication post entry. These studies show that extracts of Equisetum giganteum L and Copaifera reticulate Ducke have potent antiviral activities against HSV-2 comparable to those two previously identified plants, Croton lechleri Müll. Arg. and Uncaria tomentosa (Willd. ex Schult.) DC. These studies confirm that plants used by the Tacana tribe could be explored further for the development of novel topical antiviral microbicides. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  1. DMPD: Negative regulation of cytoplasmic RNA-mediated antiviral signaling. [Dynamic Macrophage Pathway CSML Database

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available 18703349 Negative regulation of cytoplasmic RNA-mediated antiviral signaling. Komur...Show Negative regulation of cytoplasmic RNA-mediated antiviral signaling. PubmedID 18703349 Title Negative r...egulation of cytoplasmic RNA-mediated antiviral signaling. Authors Komuro A, Bamm

  2. The future of antiviral immunotoxins

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Spiess, K.; Høy Jakobsen, Mette; Kledal, Thomas N

    2016-01-01

    There is a constant need for new therapeutic interventions in a wide range of infectious diseases. Over the past few years, the immunotoxins have entered the stage as promising antiviral treatments. Immunotoxins have been extensively explored in cancer treatment and have achieved FDA approval in ...

  3. Aminoadamantanes versus other antiviral drugs for chronic hepatitis C

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lamers, Mieke H; Broekman, Mark; Drenth, Joost Ph

    2014-01-01

    months after the end of treatment) in approximately 40% to 80% of treated patients, depending on viral genotype. Recently, a new class of drugs have emerged for hepatitis C infection, the direct acting antivirals, which in combination with standard therapy or alone can lead to sustained virological...... response in 80% or more of treated patients. Aminoadamantanes, mostly amantadine, are antiviral drugs used for the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C. We have previously systematically reviewed amantadine versus placebo or no intervention and found no significant effects of the amantadine...... on all-cause mortality or liver-related morbidity and on adverse events in patients with hepatitis C. Overall, we did not observe a significant effect of amantadine on sustained virological response. In this review, we systematically review aminoadamantanes versus other antiviral drugs. OBJECTIVES...

  4. Research progress in antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    YU Guoying

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Antiviral therapy is the most important treatment for chronic hepatitis C. This paper reviews the progress in antiviral treatment over recent years, including the combination therapy with polyethylene glycol-Interferon (PEG-IFN and ribavirin (RBV, specific target therapy, and gene therapy. The paper believes that the anti-hepatitis C virus treatment needs more effective drug combination therapies, shorter courses, less side effect, higher drug resistance threshold, etc.

  5. Cellular Antiviral Factors that Target Particle Infectivity of HIV-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goffinet, Christine

    2016-01-01

    In the past decade, the identification and characterization of antiviral genes with the ability to interfere with virus replication has established cell-intrinsic innate immunity as a third line of antiviral defense in addition to adaptive and classical innate immunity. Understanding how cellular factors have evolved to inhibit HIV-1 reveals particularly vulnerable points of the viral replication cycle. Many, but not all, antiviral proteins share type I interferon-upregulated expression and sensitivity to viral counteraction or evasion measures. Whereas well-established restriction factors interfere with early post-entry steps and release of HIV-1, recent research has revealed a diverse set of proteins that reduce the infectious quality of released particles using individual, to date poorly understood modes of action. These include induction of paucity of mature glycoproteins in nascent virions or self-incorporation into the virus particle, resulting in poor infectiousness of the virion and impaired spread of the infection. A better understanding of these newly discovered antiviral factors may open new avenues towards the design of drugs that repress the spread of viruses whose genomes have already integrated.

  6. Antiviral effect of lithium chloride on infection of cells by canine parvovirus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Pei; Fu, Xinliang; Yan, Zhongshan; Fang, Bo; Huang, San; Fu, Cheng; Hong, Malin; Li, Shoujun

    2015-11-01

    Canine parvovirus type 2 causes significant viral disease in dogs, with high morbidity, high infectivity, and high mortality. Lithium chloride is a potential antiviral drug for viruses. We determined the antiviral effect of Lithium Chloride on canine parvovirus type 2 in feline kidney cells. The viral DNA and proteins of canine parvovirus were suppressed in a dose-dependent manner by lithium chloride. Further investigation verified that viral entry into cells was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by lithium chloride. These results indicated that lithium chloride could be a potential antiviral drug for curing dogs with canine parvovirus infection. The specific steps of canine parvovirus entry into cells that are affected by lithium chloride and its antiviral effect in vivo should be explored in future studies.

  7. Antiviral Potential of Algae Polysaccharides Isolated from Marine Sources: A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Azin Ahmadi

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available From food to fertilizer, algal derived products are largely employed in assorted industries, including agricultural, biomedical, food, and pharmaceutical industries. Among different chemical compositions isolated from algae, polysaccharides are the most well-established compounds, which were subjected to a variety of studies due to extensive bioactivities. Over the past few decades, the promising results for antiviral potential of algae-derived polysaccharides have advocated them as inordinate candidates for pharmaceutical research. Numerous studies have isolated various algal polysaccharides possessing antiviral activities, including carrageenan, alginate, fucan, laminaran, and naviculan. In addition, different mechanisms of action have been reported for these polysaccharides, such as inhibiting the binding or internalization of virus into the host cells or suppressing DNA replication and protein synthesis. This review strives for compiling previous antiviral studies of algae-derived polysaccharides and their mechanism of action towards their development as natural antiviral agents for future investigations.

  8. Interferon induced IFIT family genes in host antiviral defense.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Xiang; Michal, Jennifer J; Zhang, Lifan; Ding, Bo; Lunney, Joan K; Liu, Bang; Jiang, Zhihua

    2013-01-01

    Secretion of interferons (IFNs) from virus-infected cells is a hallmark of host antiviral immunity and in fact, IFNs exert their antiviral activities through the induction of antiviral proteins. The IFN-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats (IFITs) family is among hundreds of IFN-stimulated genes. This family contains a cluster of duplicated loci. Most mammals have IFIT1, IFIT2, IFIT3 and IFIT5; however, bird, marsupial, frog and fish have only IFIT5. Regardless of species, IFIT5 is always adjacent to SLC16A12. IFIT family genes are predominantly induced by type I and type III interferons and are regulated by the pattern recognition and the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. IFIT family proteins are involved in many processes in response to viral infection. However, some viruses can escape the antiviral functions of the IFIT family by suppressing IFIT family genes expression or methylation of 5' cap of viral molecules. In addition, the variants of IFIT family genes could significantly influence the outcome of hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapy. We believe that our current review provides a comprehensive picture for the community to understand the structure and function of IFIT family genes in response to pathogens in human, as well as in animals.

  9. Plants as sources of antiviral agents | Abonyi | African Journal of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Antivirals are substances other than a virus or virus containing vaccine or specific antibody which can produce either a protective or therapeutic effect to the clear detectable advantage of the virus infected host. The search for antiviral agents began in earnest in the 1950s but this was directed mainly by chance, with little or ...

  10. Topoisomerase 1 Inhibition Promotes Cyclic GMP-AMP Synthase-Dependent Antiviral Responses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pépin, Geneviève; Nejad, Charlotte; Ferrand, Jonathan; Thomas, Belinda J; Stunden, H James; Sanij, Elaine; Foo, Chwan-Hong; Stewart, Cameron R; Cain, Jason E; Bardin, Philip G; Williams, Bryan R G; Gantier, Michael P

    2017-10-03

    Inflammatory responses, while essential for pathogen clearance, can also be deleterious to the host. Chemical inhibition of topoisomerase 1 (Top1) by low-dose camptothecin (CPT) can suppress transcriptional induction of antiviral and inflammatory genes and protect animals from excessive and damaging inflammatory responses. We describe the unexpected finding that minor DNA damage from topoisomerase 1 inhibition with low-dose CPT can trigger a strong antiviral immune response through cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) detection of cytoplasmic DNA. This argues against CPT having only anti-inflammatory activity. Furthermore, expression of the simian virus 40 (SV40) large T antigen was paramount to the proinflammatory antiviral activity of CPT, as it potentiated cytoplasmic DNA leakage and subsequent cGAS recruitment in human and mouse cell lines. This work suggests that the capacity of Top1 inhibitors to blunt inflammatory responses can be counteracted by viral oncogenes and that this should be taken into account for their therapeutic development. IMPORTANCE Recent studies suggest that low-dose DNA-damaging compounds traditionally used in cancer therapy can have opposite effects on antiviral responses, either suppressing (with the example of CPT) or potentiating (with the example of doxorubicin) them. Our work demonstrates that the minor DNA damage promoted by low-dose CPT can also trigger strong antiviral responses, dependent on the presence of viral oncogenes. Taken together, these results call for caution in the therapeutic use of low-dose chemotherapy agents to modulate antiviral responses in humans. Copyright © 2017 Pépin et al.

  11. Antiviral and cytotoxic activities of some Indonesian plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lohézic-Le Dévéhat, F; Bakhtiar, A; Bézivin, C; Amoros, M; Boustie, J

    2002-08-01

    Ten methanolic extracts from eight Indonesian medicinal plants were phytochemically screened and evaluated for antiviral (HSV-1 and Poliovirus) and cytotoxic activities on murine and human cancer lines (3LL, L1210, K562, U251, DU145, MCF-7). Besides Melastoma malabathricum (Melastomataceae), the Indonesian Loranthaceae species among which Elytranthe tubaeflora, E. maingayi, E. globosa and Scurrula ferruginea exhibited attractive antiviral and cytotoxic activities. Piper aduncum (Piperaceae) was found active on Poliovirus. S. ferruginea was selected for further studies because of its activity on the U251 glioblastoma cells.

  12. RNA interference-mediated intrinsic antiviral immunity in invertebrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nayak, Arabinda; Tassetto, Michel; Kunitomi, Mark; Andino, Raul

    2013-01-01

    In invertebrates such as insects and nematodes, RNA interference (RNAi) provides RNA-based protection against viruses. This form of immunity restricts viral replication and dissemination from infected cells and viruses, in turn, have evolved evasion mechanisms or RNAi suppressors to counteract host defenses. Recent advances indicate that, in addition to RNAi, other related small RNA pathways contribute to antiviral functions in invertebrates. This has led to a deeper understanding of fundamental aspects of small RNA-based antiviral immunity in invertebrates and its contribution to viral spread and pathogenesis.

  13. Mushrooms as a source of substances with antiviral activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martyna Kandefer-Szerszeń

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Water extracts the fructifications of 56 species of fungi were examined as a source of antiviral substances with activity against VS and vaccinia viruses. Extracts from 16 fungal species exhibited the antiviral activity. Water extracts from Boletus edulis active against vaccinia virus and extract from Armillariella mellea active against VS virus are particularly worth nothing. Both of them in applied concentrations were not toxic in chick embryo fibroblasts tissue culture.

  14. Potent host-directed small-molecule inhibitors of myxovirus RNA-dependent RNA-polymerases.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefanie A Krumm

    Full Text Available Therapeutic targeting of host cell factors required for virus replication rather than of pathogen components opens new perspectives to counteract virus infections. Anticipated advantages of this approach include a heightened barrier against the development of viral resistance and a broadened pathogen target spectrum. Myxoviruses are predominantly associated with acute disease and thus are particularly attractive for this approach since treatment time can be kept limited. To identify inhibitor candidates, we have analyzed hit compounds that emerged from a large-scale high-throughput screen for their ability to block replication of members of both the orthomyxovirus and paramyxovirus families. This has returned a compound class with broad anti-viral activity including potent inhibition of different influenza virus and paramyxovirus strains. After hit-to-lead chemistry, inhibitory concentrations are in the nanomolar range in the context of immortalized cell lines and human PBMCs. The compound shows high metabolic stability when exposed to human S-9 hepatocyte subcellular fractions. Antiviral activity is host-cell species specific and most pronounced in cells of higher mammalian origin, supporting a host-cell target. While the compound induces a temporary cell cycle arrest, host mRNA and protein biosynthesis are largely unaffected and treated cells maintain full metabolic activity. Viral replication is blocked at a post-entry step and resembles the inhibition profile of a known inhibitor of viral RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase (RdRp activity. Direct assessment of RdRp activity in the presence of the reagent reveals strong inhibition both in the context of viral infection and in reporter-based minireplicon assays. In toto, we have identified a compound class with broad viral target range that blocks host factors required for viral RdRp activity. Viral adaptation attempts did not induce resistance after prolonged exposure, in contrast to rapid

  15. Antiviral effect of diammonium glycyrrhizinate on cell infection by porcine parvovirus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Porcine parvovirus (PPV) can cause reproductive failure in swine resulting in economic losses to the industry. Antiviral effects of diammonium glycyrrhizinate (DG) have been reported on several animal viruses; however, to date it has yet to be tested on PPV. In this study, the antiviral activity of ...

  16. SOME ASPECTS OF THE MARKETING STUDIES FOR THE PHARMACEUTICAL MARKET OF ANTIVIRAL DRUGS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. G. Salnikova

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Antiviral drugs are widely used in medicinal practice. They suppress the originator and stimulate the protection of an organism. The drugs are used for the treatment of flu and ARVI, herpetic infections, virus hepatitis, HIV-infection. Contemporary pharmaceutical market is represented by a wide range of antiviral drugs. Marketing studies are conducted to develop strategies, used for the enhancement of pharmacy organization activity efficiency. Conduction of the marketing researches of pharmaceutical market is the purpose of this study. We have used State Registry of Drugs, State Record of Drugs, List of vital drugs, questionnaires of pharmaceutical workers during our work. Historical, sociological, mathematical methods, and a method of expert evaluation were used in the paper. As the result of the study we have made the following conclusions. We have studied and generalized the literature data about classification and application of antiviral drugs, marketing, competition. The assortment of antiviral drugs on the pharmaceutical market of the Russian Federation was also studied. We have conducted an analysis for the obtainment of the information about antiviral drugs by pharmaceutical workers. We have determined the competitiveness of antiviral drugs, and on the basis of the research conducted we have submitted an offer for pharmaceutical organizations to form the range of antiviral drugs.

  17. Antiviral lead compounds from marine sponges

    KAUST Repository

    Sagar, Sunil; Kaur, Mandeep; Minneman, Kenneth P.

    2010-01-01

    ). The most important antiviral lead of marine origin reported thus far is nucleoside Ara-A (vidarabine) isolated from sponge Tethya crypta. It inhibits viral DNA polymerase and DNA synthesis of herpes, vaccinica and varicella zoster viruses. However due

  18. The challenge of treating hepatitis C virus-associated cryoglobulinemic vasculitis in the era of anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies and direct antiviral agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roccatello, Dario; Sciascia, Savino; Rossi, Daniela; Solfietti, Laura; Fenoglio, Roberta; Menegatti, Elisa; Baldovino, Simone

    2017-06-20

    Mixed cryoglobulinemia syndrome (MC) is a systemic vasculitis involving kidneys, joints, skin, and peripheral nerves. While many autoimmune, lymphoproliferative, and neoplastic disorders have been associated with this disorder, hepatitis C virus (HCV) is known to be the etiologic agent in the majority of patients. Therefore, clinical research has focused on anti-viral drugs and, more recently, on the new, highly potent Direct-acting Antiviral Agents (DAAs). These drugs assure sustained virologic response (SVR) rates >90%. Nevertheless, data on their efficacy in patients with HCV-associated cryoglobulinemic vasculitis are disappointing, possibly due to the inability of the drugs to suppress the immune-mediated process once it has been triggered.Despite the potential risk of exacerbation of the infection, immunosuppression has traditionally been regarded as the first-line intervention in cryoglobulinemic vasculitis, especially if renal involvement is severe. Biologic agents have raised hopes for more manageable therapeutic approaches, and Rituximab (RTX), an anti CD20 monoclonal antibody, is the most widely used biologic drug. It has proved to be safer than conventional immunosuppressants, thus substantially changing the natural history of HCV-associated cryoglobulinemic vasculitis by providing long-term remission, especially with intensive regimens.The present review focuses on the new therapeutic opportunities offered by the combination of biological drugs, mainly Rituximab, with DAAs.

  19. Potencial antiviral da quercetina sobre o parvovírus canino Antiviral potencial of quercetin in canine parvovirus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O.V. Carvalho

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Avaliou-se o efeito do flavonoide quercetina na replicação do parvovírus canino in vitro por meio do ensaio de determinação da atividade virucida (ensaio 1, ensaio de determinação da atividade sobre a célula (ensaio 2 e ensaio de tempo de adição das drogas em diferentes etapas do ciclo replicativo viral (ensaio 3. A quercetina apresentou significante atividade antiviral, com valores máximos de redução do título viral de 96,3% no ensaio 1, 90% no ensaio 2 e 90% no ensaio 3. Os efeitos mais expressivos ocorreram nas etapas de adsorção e penetração viral. Os resultados deste trabalho sugerem a importância da quercetina para a medicina veterinária.The in vitro effect of the flavonoid quercetin against canine parvovirus was evaluated. The antiviral activity of quercetin was evaluated by determining the virucidal activity (assay 1, determining the activity on the cell (assay 2 and using the time of addition assay to test the inhibition of the viral replication cycle (assay 3. Quercetin showed a significant antiviral activity, with maximum viral titer reduction of 96.3% in assay 1, 90% in assay 2 and 90% in assay 3. The most expressive effects occurred in the stages of viral adsorption and penetration. The results show the importance of quercetin for veterinary medicine.

  20. Bilirubin: an endogenous molecule with antiviral activity in vitro.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosaria eSantangelo

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Bilirubin-IX-alpha (BR is the final product of heme metabolism through the heme oxygenase/biliverdin reductase (HO/BVR system. Previous papers reported on the microbicidal effects of the HO by-products biliverdin-IX-alpha, carbon monoxide and iron, through either direct or indirect mechanisms. In this paper the evidence of a virucidal effect of BR against human herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1 and the enterovirus EV71 was provided. Bilirubin-IX-alpha, at concentrations 1-10 µM, close to those found in blood and tissues, significantly reduced HSV-1 and EV71 replication in Hep-2 and Vero cell lines, respectively. Bilirubin-IX-alpha inhibited viral infection of Hep-2 and Vero cells when given 2 hours before, concomitantly and 2 hours after viral infection. Furthermore, BR retained its antiviral activity even complexed with a saturating concentration of human serum-albumin. Moreover, 10 µM BR increased the formation of nitric oxide and the phosphorylation of JNK in Vero and Hep-2 cell lines, respectively, thus implying a role of these two pathways in the mechanism of antiviral activity of the bile pigment. In conclusion, these results support the antiviral effect of BR against HSV-1 and enterovirus in vitro, and put the basis for further basic and clinical studies to understand the real role of BR as an endogenous antiviral molecule.

  1. Cytotoxic, Virucidal, and Antiviral Activity of South American Plant and Algae Extracts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paula Faral-Tello

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1 infection has a prevalence of 70% in the human population. Treatment is based on acyclovir, valacyclovir, and foscarnet, three drugs that share the same mechanism of action and of which resistant strains have been isolated from patients. In this aspect, innovative drug therapies are required. Natural products offer unlimited opportunities for the discovery of antiviral compounds. In this study, 28 extracts corresponding to 24 plant species and 4 alga species were assayed in vitro to detect antiviral activity against HSV-1. Six of the methanolic extracts inactivated viral particles by direct interaction and 14 presented antiviral activity when incubated with cells already infected. Most interesting antiviral activity values obtained are those of Limonium brasiliense, Psidium guajava, and Phyllanthus niruri, which inhibit HSV-1 replication in vitro with 50% effective concentration (EC50 values of 185, 118, and 60 μg/mL, respectively. For these extracts toxicity values were calculated and therefore selectivity indexes (SI obtained. Further characterization of the bioactive components of antiviral plants will pave the way for the discovery of new compounds against HSV-1.

  2. Antigen sensitivity is a major determinant of CD8+ T-cell polyfunctionality and HIV-suppressive activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almeida, Jorge R; Sauce, Delphine; Price, David A; Papagno, Laura; Shin, So Youn; Moris, Arnaud; Larsen, Martin; Pancino, Gianfranco; Douek, Daniel C; Autran, Brigitte; Sáez-Cirión, Asier; Appay, Victor

    2009-06-18

    CD8(+) T cells are major players in the immune response against HIV. However, recent failures in the development of T cell-based vaccines against HIV-1 have emphasized the need to reassess our basic knowledge of T cell-mediated efficacy. CD8(+) T cells from HIV-1-infected patients with slow disease progression exhibit potent polyfunctionality and HIV-suppressive activity, yet the factors that unify these properties are incompletely understood. We performed a detailed study of the interplay between T-cell functional attributes using a bank of HIV-specific CD8(+) T-cell clones isolated in vitro; this approach enabled us to overcome inherent difficulties related to the in vivo heterogeneity of T-cell populations and address the underlying determinants that synthesize the qualities required for antiviral efficacy. Conclusions were supported by ex vivo analysis of HIV-specific CD8(+) T cells from infected donors. We report that attributes of CD8(+) T-cell efficacy against HIV are linked at the level of antigen sensitivity. Highly sensitive CD8(+) T cells display polyfunctional profiles and potent HIV-suppressive activity. These data provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying CD8(+) T-cell efficacy against HIV, and indicate that vaccine strategies should focus on the induction of HIV-specific T cells with high levels of antigen sensitivity to elicit potent antiviral efficacy.

  3. La respuesta inmune antiviral

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rainel Sánchez de la Rosa

    1998-02-01

    Full Text Available Se expone que los virus son parásitos intracelulares obligados, puesto que no tienen metabolismo propio; esto obliga al sistema inmune a poner en marcha sus mecanismos más especializados para reconocer y eliminar, tanto a los virus libres, como a las células infectadas. Se señala que las células presentadoras de antígenos, los linfocitos B y los T unidos al complejo mayor de histocompatibilidad, forman parte de la organización de la respuesta inmune antiviral; la inducción de esta respuesta con proteínas, péptidos y ADN desnudo, son alternativas actuales tanto en la prevención como en el tratamiento de las infecciones viralesIt is explained that viruses are compulsory intracellular parasites, since they don't have their own metabolism, which makes the immune system to start its mest specialized mechanisms to recognize and eliminate the free viruses and the infected cells. It is stated that the cells presenting antigens, and the B and T lymphocytes together with the major histocompatibility complex, are part of the organization of the immune antiviral response. The induction of this response with proteins, peptides and naked DNA are the present alternatives for the prevention and treatment of viral infections

  4. Antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C in patients with human immunodeficiency virus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Iorio, Alfonso; Marchesini, Emanuela; Awad, Tahany

    2010-01-01

    Antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C may be less effective if patients are co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).......Antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C may be less effective if patients are co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)....

  5. Contribution of herpesvirus specific CD8 T cells to anti-viral T cell response in humans.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Sandalova

    Full Text Available Herpesviruses infect most humans. Their infections can be associated with pathological conditions and significant changes in T cell repertoire but evidences of symbiotic effects of herpesvirus latency have never been demonstrated. We tested the hypothesis that HCMV and EBV-specific CD8 T cells contribute to the heterologous anti-viral immune response. Volume of activated/proliferating virus-specific and total CD8 T cells was evaluated in 50 patients with acute viral infections: 20 with HBV, 12 with Dengue, 12 with Influenza, 3 with Adenovirus infection and 3 with fevers of unknown etiology. Virus-specific (EBV, HCMV, Influenza pentamer+ and total CD8 T cells were analyzed for activation (CD38/HLA-DR, proliferation (Ki-67/Bcl-2(low and cytokine production. We observed that all acute viral infections trigger an expansion of activated/proliferating CD8 T cells, which differs in size depending on the infection but is invariably inflated by CD8 T cells specific for persistent herpesviruses (HCMV/EBV. CD8 T cells specific for other non-related non persistent viral infection (i.e. Influenza were not activated. IL-15, which is produced during acute viral infections, is the likely contributing mechanism driving the selective activation of herpesvirus specific CD8 T cells. In addition we were able to show that herpesvirus specific CD8 T cells displayed an increased ability to produce the anti-viral cytokine interferon-gamma during the acute phase of heterologous viral infection. Taken together, these data demonstrated that activated herpesvirus specific CD8 T cells inflate the activated/proliferating CD8 T cells population present during acute viral infections in human and can contribute to the heterologous anti-viral T cell response.

  6. Favipiravir elicits antiviral mutagenesis during virus replication in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arias, Armando; Thorne, Lucy; Goodfellow, Ian

    2014-10-21

    Lethal mutagenesis has emerged as a novel potential therapeutic approach to treat viral infections. Several studies have demonstrated that increases in the high mutation rates inherent to RNA viruses lead to viral extinction in cell culture, but evidence during infections in vivo is limited. In this study, we show that the broad-range antiviral nucleoside favipiravir reduces viral load in vivo by exerting antiviral mutagenesis in a mouse model for norovirus infection. Increased mutation frequencies were observed in samples from treated mice and were accompanied with lower or in some cases undetectable levels of infectious virus in faeces and tissues. Viral RNA isolated from treated animals showed reduced infectivity, a feature of populations approaching extinction during antiviral mutagenesis. These results suggest that favipiravir can induce norovirus mutagenesis in vivo, which in some cases leads to virus extinction, providing a proof-of-principle for the use of favipiravir derivatives or mutagenic nucleosides in the clinical treatment of noroviruses.

  7. Swinholide J, a Potent Cytotoxin from the Marine Sponge Theonella swinhoei

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angela Zampella

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available In our ongoing search for new pharmacologically active leads from Solomon organisms, we have examined the sponge Theonella swinhoei. Herein we report the isolation and structure elucidation of swinholide A (1 and one new macrolide, swinholide J (2. Swinholide J is an unprecedented asymmetric 44-membered dilactone with an epoxide functionality in half of the molecule. The structural determination was based on extensive interpretation of high-field NMR spectra and HRESIMS data. Swinholide J displayed potent in vitro cytotoxicity against KB cells (human nasopharynx cancer with an IC50 value of 6 nM.

  8. Characterization of vaniprevir, a hepatitis C virus NS3/4A protease inhibitor, in patients with HCV genotype 1 infection: safety, antiviral activity, resistance, and pharmacokinetics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawitz, Eric; Sulkowski, Mark; Jacobson, Ira; Kraft, Walter K; Maliakkal, Benedict; Al-Ibrahim, Mohamed; Gordon, Stuart C; Kwo, Paul; Rockstroh, Juergen Kurt; Panorchan, Paul; Miller, Michelle; Caro, Luzelena; Barnard, Richard; Hwang, Peggy May; Gress, Jacqueline; Quirk, Erin; Mobashery, Niloufar

    2013-09-01

    Vaniprevir is a competitive inhibitor of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A protease that has potent anti-HCV activity in preclinical models. This placebo-controlled dose-ranging study assessed the safety, tolerability, and antiviral efficacy of vaniprevir monotherapy in patients with genotype 1 chronic HCV infection. Treatment-naive and treatment-experienced non-cirrhotic adult patients with baseline HCV RNA >10(6)IU/ml were randomized to receive placebo or vaniprevir at doses of 125 mg qd, 600 mg qd, 25mg bid, 75 mg bid, 250 mg bid, 500 mg bid, and 700 mg bid for 8 days. Forty patients (82.5% male, 75% genotype 1a) received at least one dose of placebo or vaniprevir. After 1 week of vaniprevir, the decrease in HCV RNA from baseline ranged from 1.8 to 4.6 log₁₀IU/ml across all treatment groups, and there was a greater than dose-proportional increase in vaniprevir exposure at doses above 75 mg bid. The most commonly reported drug-related adverse events (AEs) were diarrhea (n=5) and nausea (n=5). No pattern of laboratory or ECG abnormalities was observed, all AEs resolved during the study, and there were no discontinuations due to AEs. No serious AEs were reported. Resistance-associated amino acid variants were identified at positions R155 and D168 in patients infected with genotype 1a virus. Vaniprevir monotherapy demonstrated potent antiviral activity in patients with chronic genotype 1 HCV infection, and was generally well tolerated with no serious AEs or discontinuations due to AEs. Further development of vaniprevir, including studies in combination with other anti-HCV agents, is ongoing. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Efficacy of Antiviral Drugs against Feline Immunodeficiency Virus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katrin Hartmann

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV is one of the most common infectious agents affecting cats worldwide .FIV and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV share many properties: both are lifelong persistent lentiviruses that are similar genetically and morphologically and both viruses propagate in T-lymphocytes, macrophages, and neural cells. Experimentally infected cats have measurable immune suppression, which sometimes progresses to an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. A transient initial state of infection is followed by a long latent stage with low virus replication and absence of clinical signs. In the terminal stage, both viruses can cause severe immunosuppression. Thus, FIV infection in cats has become an important natural model for studying HIV infection in humans, especially for evaluation of antiviral compounds. Of particular importance for chemotherapeutic studies is the close similarity between the reverse transcriptase (RT of FIV and HIV, which results in high in vitro susceptibility of FIV to many RT-targeted antiviral compounds used in the treatment of HIV-infected patients. Thus, the aim of this article is to provide an up-to-date review of studies on antiviral treatment of FIV, focusing on commercially available compounds for human or animal use.

  10. Strategies for antiviral stockpiling for future influenza pandemics: a global epidemic-economic perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrasco, Luis R; Lee, Vernon J; Chen, Mark I; Matchar, David B; Thompson, James P; Cook, Alex R

    2011-09-07

    Influenza pandemics present a global threat owing to their potential mortality and substantial economic impacts. Stockpiling antiviral drugs to manage a pandemic is an effective strategy to offset their negative impacts; however, little is known about the long-term optimal size of the stockpile under uncertainty and the characteristics of different countries. Using an epidemic-economic model we studied the effect on total mortality and costs of antiviral stockpile sizes for Brazil, China, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, New Zealand, Singapore, the UK, the USA and Zimbabwe. In the model, antivirals stockpiling considerably reduced mortality. There was greater potential avoidance of expected costs in the higher resourced countries (e.g. from $55 billion to $27 billion over a 30 year time horizon for the USA) and large avoidance of fatalities in those less resourced (e.g. from 11.4 to 2.3 million in Indonesia). Under perfect allocation, higher resourced countries should aim to store antiviral stockpiles able to cover at least 15 per cent of their population, rising to 25 per cent with 30 per cent misallocation, to minimize fatalities and economic costs. Stockpiling is estimated not to be cost-effective for two-thirds of the world's population under current antivirals pricing. Lower prices and international cooperation are necessary to make the life-saving potential of antivirals cost-effective in resource-limited countries.

  11. Evaluation of in vitro antiviral activity of a brown alga ( Cystoseira ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The hot water extract of a brown marine alga, Cystoseira myrica, from the Persian Gulf was evaluated as an antiviral compound against KOS strain of HSV-1 in cell culture. The extract exhibited antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) not only during absorption of virus to the cells, but also on post ...

  12. Phage Display-Derived Cross-Reactive Neutralizing Antibody against Enterovirus 71 and Coxsackievirus A16.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xiao; Sun, Chunyun; Xiao, Xiangqian; Pang, Lin; Shen, Sisi; Zhang, Jie; Cen, Shan; Yang, Burton B; Huang, Yuming; Sheng, Wang; Zeng, Yi

    2016-01-01

    Enterovirus 71 (EV71) and coxsackievirus A16 (CVA16) are members of the Picornaviridae family and are considered the main causative agents of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). In recent decades large HFMD outbreaks caused by EV71 and CVA16 have become significant public health concerns in the Asia-Pacific region. Vaccines and antiviral drugs are unavailable to prevent EV71 and CVA16 infection. In the current study, a chimeric antibody targeting a highly conserved peptide in the EV71 VP4 protein was isolated by using a phage display technique. The antibody showed cross-neutralizing capability against EV71 and CVA16 in vitro. The results suggest that this phage display-derived antibody will have great potential as a broad neutralizing antibody against EV71 and CVA16 after affinity maturation and humanization.

  13. Antiviral immunity following smallpox virus infection: a case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hammarlund, Erika; Lewis, Matthew W; Hanifin, Jon M; Mori, Motomi; Koudelka, Caroline W; Slifka, Mark K

    2010-12-01

    Outbreaks of smallpox (i.e., caused by variola virus) resulted in up to 30% mortality, but those who survived smallpox infection were regarded as immune for life. Early studies described the levels of neutralizing antibodies induced after infection, but smallpox was eradicated before contemporary methods for quantifying T-cell memory were developed. To better understand the levels and duration of immunity after smallpox infection, we performed a case-control study comparing antiviral CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell responses and neutralizing antibody levels of 24 smallpox survivors with the antiviral immunity observed in 60 smallpox-vaccinated (i.e., vaccinia virus-immune) control subjects. We found that the duration of immunity following smallpox infection was remarkably similar to that observed after smallpox vaccination, with antiviral T-cell responses that declined slowly over time and antiviral antibody responses that remained stable for decades after recovery from infection. These results indicate that severe, potentially life-threatening disease is not required for the development of sustainable long-term immunity. This study shows that the levels of immunity induced following smallpox vaccination are comparable in magnitude to that achieved through natural variola virus infection, and this may explain the notable success of vaccination in eradicating smallpox, one of the world's most lethal diseases.

  14. Antiviral Immunity following Smallpox Virus Infection: a Case-Control Study▿

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hammarlund, Erika; Lewis, Matthew W.; Hanifin, Jon M.; Mori, Motomi; Koudelka, Caroline W.; Slifka, Mark K.

    2010-01-01

    Outbreaks of smallpox (i.e., caused by variola virus) resulted in up to 30% mortality, but those who survived smallpox infection were regarded as immune for life. Early studies described the levels of neutralizing antibodies induced after infection, but smallpox was eradicated before contemporary methods for quantifying T-cell memory were developed. To better understand the levels and duration of immunity after smallpox infection, we performed a case-control study comparing antiviral CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses and neutralizing antibody levels of 24 smallpox survivors with the antiviral immunity observed in 60 smallpox-vaccinated (i.e., vaccinia virus-immune) control subjects. We found that the duration of immunity following smallpox infection was remarkably similar to that observed after smallpox vaccination, with antiviral T-cell responses that declined slowly over time and antiviral antibody responses that remained stable for decades after recovery from infection. These results indicate that severe, potentially life-threatening disease is not required for the development of sustainable long-term immunity. This study shows that the levels of immunity induced following smallpox vaccination are comparable in magnitude to that achieved through natural variola virus infection, and this may explain the notable success of vaccination in eradicating smallpox, one of the world's most lethal diseases. PMID:20926574

  15. Activity of a potent hepatitis C virus polymerase inhibitor in the chimpanzee model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Chih-Ming; He, Yupeng; Lu, Liangjun; Lim, Hock Ben; Tripathi, Rakesh L; Middleton, Tim; Hernandez, Lisa E; Beno, David W A; Long, Michelle A; Kati, Warren M; Bosse, Todd D; Larson, Daniel P; Wagner, Rolf; Lanford, Robert E; Kohlbrenner, William E; Kempf, Dale J; Pilot-Matias, Tami J; Molla, Akhteruzzaman

    2007-12-01

    A-837093 is a potent and specific nonnucleoside inhibitor of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural protein 5B (NS5B) RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. It possesses nanomolar potencies in both enzymatic and replicon-based cell culture assays. In rats and dogs this compound demonstrated an oral plasma half-life of greater than 7 h, and its bioavailability was >60%. In monkeys it had a half-life of 1.9 h and 15% bioavailability. Its antiviral efficacy was evaluated in two chimpanzees infected with HCV in a proof-of-concept study. The design included oral dosing of 30 mg per kg of body weight twice a day for 14 days, followed by a 14-day posttreatment observation. Maximum viral load reductions of 1.4 and 2.5 log(10) copies RNA/ml for genotype 1a- and 1b-infected chimpanzees, respectively, were observed within 2 days after the initiation of treatment. After this initial drop in the viral load, a rebound of plasma HCV RNA was observed in the genotype 1b-infected chimpanzee, while the genotype 1a-infected chimpanzee experienced a partial rebound that lasted throughout the treatment period. Clonal analysis of NS5B gene sequences derived from the plasma of A-837093-treated chimpanzees revealed the presence of several mutations associated with resistance to A-837093, including Y448H, G554D, and D559G in the genotype 1a-infected chimpanzee and C316Y and G554D in the genotype 1b-infected chimpanzee. The identification of resistance-associated mutations in both chimpanzees is consistent with the findings of in vitro selection studies, in which many of the same mutations were selected. These findings validate the antiviral efficacy and resistance development of benzothiadiazine HCV polymerase inhibitors in vivo.

  16. N-Guanidino Derivatives of 1,5-Dideoxy-1,5-imino-d-xylitol are Potent, Selective, and Stable Inhibitors of β-Glucocerebrosidase

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sevsek, Alen; Šrot, Luka; Rihter, Jakob; Čelan, Maša; van Ufford, Linda Quarles; Moret, Ed E; Martin, Nathaniel I; Pieters, Roland J

    2017-01-01

    A series of lipidated guanidino and urea derivatives of 1,5-dideoxy-1,5-imino-d-xylitol were prepared from d-xylose using a concise synthetic protocol. Inhibition assays with a panel of glycosidases revealed that the guanidino analogues display potent inhibition against human recombinant

  17. Chemical Synthesis and In Vitro Evaluation of a Phage Display-Derived Peptide Active against Infectious Salmon Anemia Virus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ojeda, Nicolás; Cárdenas, Constanza; Guzmán, Fanny; Marshall, Sergio H

    2016-04-01

    Infectious salmon anemia virus (ISAV) is the etiological agent of the disease by the same name and causes major losses in the salmon industry worldwide. Epizootic ISAV outbreaks have occurred in Norway and, to a lesser degree, in Canada. In 2007, an ISAV outbreak in Chile destroyed most of the seasonal production and endangered the entire Chilean salmon industry. None of the existing prophylactic approaches have demonstrated efficacy in providing absolute protection from or even a palliative effect on ISAV proliferation. Sanitary control measures for ISAV, based on molecular epidemiology data, have proven insufficient, mainly due to high salmon culture densities and a constant presence of a nonpathogenic strain of the virus. This report describes an alternative treatment approach based on interfering peptides selected from a phage display library. The screening of a phage display heptapeptide library resulted in the selection of a novel peptide with significant in vitro antiviral activity against ISAV. This peptide specifically interacted with the viral hemagglutinin-esterase protein, thereby impairing virus binding, with plaque reduction assays showing a significant reduction in viral yields. The identified peptide acts at micromolar concentrations against at least two different pathogenic strains of the virus, without detectable cytotoxic effects on the tested fish cells. Therefore, antiviral peptides represent a novel alternative for controlling ISAV and, potentially, other fish pathogens. Identifying novel methods for the efficient control of infectious diseases is imperative for the future of global aquaculture. The present study used a phage display heptapeptide library to identify a peptide with interfering activity against a key protein of the infectious salmon anemia virus (ISAV). A piscine orthomyxovirus, ISAV is a continuous threat to the commercial sustainability of cultured salmon production worldwide. The complex epidemiological strategy of this

  18. Human influenza is more effective than avian influenza at antiviral suppression in airway cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsu, Alan Chen-Yu; Barr, Ian; Hansbro, Philip M; Wark, Peter A

    2011-06-01

    Airway epithelial cells are the initial site of infection with influenza viruses. The innate immune responses of airway epithelial cells to infection are important in limiting virus replication and spread. However, relatively little is known about the importance of this innate antiviral response to infection. Avian influenza viruses are a potential source of future pandemics; therefore, it is critical to examine the effectiveness of the host antiviral system to different influenza viruses. We used a human influenza (H3N2) and a low-pathogenic avian influenza (H11N9) to assess and compare the antiviral responses of Calu-3 cells. After infection, H3N2 replicated more effectively than the H11N9 in Calu-3 cells. This was not due to differential expression of sialic acid residues on Calu-3 cells, but was attributed to the interference of host antiviral responses by H3N2. H3N2 induced a delayed antiviral signaling and impaired type I and type III IFN induction compared with the H11N9. The gene encoding for nonstructural (NS) 1 protein was transfected into the bronchial epithelial cells (BECs), and the H3N2 NS1 induced a greater inhibition of antiviral responses compared with the H11N9 NS1. Although the low-pathogenic avian influenza virus was capable of infecting BECs, the human influenza virus replicated more effectively than avian influenza virus in BECs, and this was due to a differential ability of the two NS1 proteins to inhibit antiviral responses. This suggests that the subversion of human antiviral responses may be an important requirement for influenza viruses to adapt to the human host and cause disease.

  19. Exploiting Genetic Interference for Antiviral Therapy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elizabeth J Tanner

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Rapidly evolving viruses are a major threat to human health. Such viruses are often highly pathogenic (e.g., influenza virus, HIV, Ebola virus and routinely circumvent therapeutic intervention through mutational escape. Error-prone genome replication generates heterogeneous viral populations that rapidly adapt to new selection pressures, leading to resistance that emerges with treatment. However, population heterogeneity bears a cost: when multiple viral variants replicate within a cell, they can potentially interfere with each other, lowering viral fitness. This genetic interference can be exploited for antiviral strategies, either by taking advantage of a virus's inherent genetic diversity or through generating de novo interference by engineering a competing genome. Here, we discuss two such antiviral strategies, dominant drug targeting and therapeutic interfering particles. Both strategies harness the power of genetic interference to surmount two particularly vexing obstacles-the evolution of drug resistance and targeting therapy to high-risk populations-both of which impede treatment in resource-poor settings.

  20. Antiviral activity of α-helical stapled peptides designed from the HIV-1 capsid dimerization domain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cowburn David

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The C-terminal domain (CTD of HIV-1 capsid (CA, like full-length CA, forms dimers in solution and CTD dimerization is a major driving force in Gag assembly and maturation. Mutations of the residues at the CTD dimer interface impair virus assembly and render the virus non-infectious. Therefore, the CTD represents a potential target for designing anti-HIV-1 drugs. Results Due to the pivotal role of the dimer interface, we reasoned that peptides from the α-helical region of the dimer interface might be effective as decoys to prevent CTD dimer formation. However, these small peptides do not have any structure in solution and they do not penetrate cells. Therefore, we used the hydrocarbon stapling technique to stabilize the α-helical structure and confirmed by confocal microscopy that this modification also made these peptides cell-penetrating. We also confirmed by using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC, sedimentation equilibrium and NMR that these peptides indeed disrupt dimer formation. In in vitro assembly assays, the peptides inhibited mature-like virus particle formation and specifically inhibited HIV-1 production in cell-based assays. These peptides also showed potent antiviral activity against a large panel of laboratory-adapted and primary isolates, including viral strains resistant to inhibitors of reverse transcriptase and protease. Conclusions These preliminary data serve as the foundation for designing small, stable, α-helical peptides and small-molecule inhibitors targeted against the CTD dimer interface. The observation that relatively weak CA binders, such as NYAD-201 and NYAD-202, showed specificity and are able to disrupt the CTD dimer is encouraging for further exploration of a much broader class of antiviral compounds targeting CA. We cannot exclude the possibility that the CA-based peptides described here could elicit additional effects on virus replication not directly linked to their ability to bind

  1. Antiviral Properties of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester and Its Potential Application

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haci Kemal Erdemli

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE is found in variety of plants and well known active ingredient of the honeybee propolis. CAPE showed anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, antimitogenic, antiviral and immunomodulatory properties in several studies. The beneficial effects of CAPE on different health issues attracted scientists to make more studies on CAPE. Specifically, the anti-viral effects of CAPE and its molecular mechanisms may reveal the important properties of virus-induced diseases. CAPE and its targets may have important roles to design new therapeutics and understand the molecular mechanisms of virus related diseases. In this mini-review, we summarize the antiviral effects of CAPE under the light of medical and chemical literature. [J Intercult Ethnopharmacol 2015; 4(4.000: 344-347

  2. Synthesis of giant globular multivalent glycofullerenes as potent inhibitors in a model of Ebola virus infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muñoz, Antonio; Sigwalt, David; Illescas, Beatriz M.; Luczkowiak, Joanna; Rodríguez-Pérez, Laura; Nierengarten, Iwona; Holler, Michel; Remy, Jean-Serge; Buffet, Kevin; Vincent, Stéphane P.; Rojo, Javier; Delgado, Rafael; Nierengarten, Jean-François; Martín, Nazario

    2016-01-01

    The use of multivalent carbohydrate compounds to block cell-surface lectin receptors is a promising strategy to inhibit the entry of pathogens into cells and could lead to the discovery of novel antiviral agents. One of the main problems with this approach, however, is that it is difficult to make compounds of an adequate size and multivalency to mimic natural systems such as viruses. Hexakis adducts of [60]fullerene are useful building blocks in this regard because they maintain a globular shape at the same time as allowing control over the size and multivalency. Here we report water-soluble tridecafullerenes decorated with 120 peripheral carbohydrate subunits, so-called ‘superballs’, that can be synthesized efficiently from hexakis adducts of [60]fullerene in one step by using copper-catalysed azide-alkyne cycloaddition click chemistry. Infection assays show that these superballs are potent inhibitors of cell infection by an artificial Ebola virus with half-maximum inhibitory concentrations in the subnanomolar range.

  3. Antiviral activity of an N-allyl acridone against dengue virus

    OpenAIRE

    Mazzucco, María Belén; Talarico, Laura Beatriz; Vatansever, Sezen; Carro, Ana Clara; Fascio, Mirta Liliana; D'Accorso, Norma Beatriz; Garcia, Cybele; Damonte, Elsa Beatriz

    2016-01-01

    Dengue virus (DENV), a member of the family Flaviviridae, is at present the most widespread causative agent of a human viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes. Despite the increasing incidence of this pathogen, there are no antiviral drugs or vaccines currently available for treatment or prevention. In a previous screening assay, we identified a group of N-allyl acridones as effective virus inhibitors. Here, the antiviral activity and mode of action targeted to viral RNA replication of one of...

  4. Development of Small-Molecule Antivirals for Ebola

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Janeba, Zlatko

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 35, č. 6 (2015), s. 1175-1194 ISSN 0198-6325 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : antiviral * filovirus * Ebola virus * Marburg virus * hemorrhagic fever Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry Impact factor: 9.135, year: 2015

  5. Viruses transfer the antiviral second messenger cGAMP between cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bridgeman, A; Maelfait, J; Davenne, T; Partridge, T; Peng, Y; Mayer, A; Dong, T; Kaever, V; Borrow, P; Rehwinkel, J

    2015-09-11

    Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) detects cytosolic DNA during virus infection and induces an antiviral state. cGAS signals by synthesis of a second messenger, cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP), which activates stimulator of interferon genes (STING). We show that cGAMP is incorporated into viral particles, including lentivirus and herpesvirus virions, when these are produced in cGAS-expressing cells. Virions transferred cGAMP to newly infected cells and triggered a STING-dependent antiviral program. These effects were independent of exosomes and viral nucleic acids. Our results reveal a way by which a signal for innate immunity is transferred between cells, potentially accelerating and broadening antiviral responses. Moreover, infection of dendritic cells with cGAMP-loaded lentiviruses enhanced their activation. Loading viral vectors with cGAMP therefore holds promise for vaccine development. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

  6. Anti-viral RNA silencing: do we look like plants ?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lecellier Charles-Henri

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The anti-viral function of RNA silencing was first discovered in plants as a natural manifestation of the artificial 'co-suppression', which refers to the extinction of endogenous gene induced by homologous transgene. Because silencing components are conserved among most, if not all, eukaryotes, the question rapidly arose as to determine whether this process fulfils anti-viral functions in animals, such as insects and mammals. It appears that, whereas the anti-viral process seems to be similarly conserved from plants to insects, even in worms, RNA silencing does influence the replication of mammalian viruses but in a particular mode: micro(miRNAs, endogenous small RNAs naturally implicated in translational control, rather than virus-derived small interfering (siRNAs like in other organisms, are involved. In fact, these recent studies even suggest that RNA silencing may be beneficial for viral replication. Accordingly, several large DNA mammalian viruses have been shown to encode their own miRNAs. Here, we summarize the seminal studies that have implicated RNA silencing in viral infection and compare the different eukaryotic responses.

  7. Evaluation of the combination effect of different antiviral compounds against HIV in vitro

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, A M; Nielsen, C; Mathiesen, Lars Reinhardt

    1993-01-01

    3'-azido-3'deoxythymidine (AZT), a clinically used anti-HIV compound, was evaluated for antiviral effect on HIV infection in combination with other antiviral compounds in vitro. Interactions were evaluated by the median-effect principle and the isobologram technique. Synergistic effect was obtained...... by combining many evaluated antiviral agents with AZT. We observed a difference in the degree of synergism depending on the evaluated compound; the results indicate that compounds with the same target in the viral replicative cycle (ddI: 2',3'-dideoxyinosine, didanosine; d4T: 2',3'-dideoxy-2...

  8. Aspartic acid based nucleoside phosphoramidate prodrugs as potent inhibitors of hepatitis C virus replication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maiti, Munmun; Maiti, Mohitosh; Rozenski, Jef; De Jonghe, Steven; Herdewijn, Piet

    2015-05-14

    In view of a persistent threat to mankind, the development of nucleotide-based prodrugs against hepatitis C virus (HCV) is considered as a constant effort in many medicinal chemistry groups. In an attempt to identify novel nucleoside phosphoramidate analogues for improving the anti-HCV activity, we have explored, for the first time, aspartic acid (Asp) and iminodiacetic acid (IDA) esters as amidate counterparts by considering three 2'-C-methyl containing nucleosides, 2'-C-Me-cytidine, 2'-C-Me-uridine and 2'-C-Me-2'-fluoro-uridine. Synthesis of these analogues required protection for the vicinal diol functionality of the sugar moiety and the amino group of the cytidine nucleoside to regioselectively perform phosphorylation reaction at the 5'-hydroxyl group. Anti-HCV data demonstrate that the Asp-based phosphoramidates are ∼550 fold more potent than the parent nucleosides. The inhibitory activity of the Asp-ProTides was higher than the Ala-ProTides, suggesting that Asp would be a potential amino acid candidate to be considered for developing novel antiviral prodrugs.

  9. Antiviral activity of exopolysaccharides from Arthrospira platensis against koi herpesvirus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reichert, M; Bergmann, S M; Hwang, J; Buchholz, R; Lindenberger, C

    2017-10-01

    Although koi herpesvirus (KHV) has a history of causing severe economic losses in common carp and koi farms, there are still no treatments available on the market. Thus, the aim of this study was to test exopolysaccharides (EPS) for its antiviral activity against KHV, by monitoring inhibition and cytotoxic effects in common carp brain cells. These substances can be easily extracted from extracellular algae supernatant and were identified as groups of sulphated polysaccharides. In order to reach this aim, Arthrospira platensis, which is well known for its antiviral activity of intra- and extracellular compounds towards mammalian herpesviruses, was investigated as standard organism and compared to commercial antiviral drug, ganciclovir, which inhibits the viral DNA polymerization. The antiviral activity of polysaccharides of A. platensis against KHV was confirmed in vitro using qualitative assessment of KHV life cycle genes, and it was found by RT-PCR that EPS, applied at a concentration of >18 μg mL -1 and a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 0.45 of KHV, suppressed the viral replication in common carp brain (CCB) cells even after 22 days post-infection, entirely. Further, this study presents first data indicating an enormous potential using polysaccharides as an additive for aquacultures to lower or hinder the spread of the KHV and koi herpesvirus disease (KHVD) in future. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Antiviral activity of maca (Lepidium meyenii) against human influenza virus

    OpenAIRE

    Del Valle Mendoza, Juana; Pumarola, Tomas; Alzamora Gonzales, Libertad; Valle Mendoza, Luis Javier del

    2014-01-01

    Objective To investigate antiviral activity of maca to reduce viral load in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells infected with influenza type A and B viruses (Flu-A and Flu-B, respectively). Methods Maca were extracted with methanol (1:2, v/v). The cell viability and toxicity of the extracts were evaluated on MDCK cells using method MTT assay. Antiviral activity of compounds against Flu-A and Flu-B viruses was assayed using a test for determining the inhibition of the cytopathic ...

  11. Database-Guided Discovery of Potent Peptides to Combat HIV-1 or Superbugs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guangshun Wang

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs, small host defense proteins, are indispensable for the protection of multicellular organisms such as plants and animals from infection. The number of AMPs discovered per year increased steadily since the 1980s. Over 2,000 natural AMPs from bacteria, protozoa, fungi, plants, and animals have been registered into the antimicrobial peptide database (APD. The majority of these AMPs (>86% possess 11–50 amino acids with a net charge from 0 to +7 and hydrophobic percentages between 31–70%. This article summarizes peptide discovery on the basis of the APD. The major methods are the linguistic model, database screening, de novo design, and template-based design. Using these methods, we identified various potent peptides against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA. While the stepwise designed anti-HIV peptide is disulfide-linked and rich in arginines, the ab initio designed anti-MRSA peptide is linear and rich in leucines. Thus, there are different requirements for antiviral and antibacterial peptides, which could kill pathogens via different molecular targets. The biased amino acid composition in the database-designed peptides, or natural peptides such as θ-defensins, requires the use of the improved two-dimensional NMR method for structural determination to avoid the publication of misleading structure and dynamics. In the case of human cathelicidin LL-37, structural determination requires 3D NMR techniques. The high-quality structure of LL-37 provides a solid basis for understanding its interactions with membranes of bacteria and other pathogens. In conclusion, the APD database is a comprehensive platform for storing, classifying, searching, predicting, and designing potent peptides against pathogenic bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and cancer cells.

  12. An antiviral RISC isolated from Tobacco rattle virus-infected plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ciomperlik, Jessica J; Omarov, Rustem T; Scholthof, Herman B

    2011-03-30

    The RNAi model predicts that during antiviral defense a RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) is programmed with viral short-interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to target the cognate viral RNA for degradation. We show that infection of Nicotiana benthamiana with Tobacco rattle virus (TRV) activates an antiviral nuclease that specifically cleaves TRV RNA in vitro. In agreement with known RISC properties, the nuclease activity was inhibited by NaCl and EDTA and stimulated by divalent metal cations; a novel property was its preferential targeting of elongated RNA molecules. Intriguingly, the specificity of the TRV RISC could be reprogrammed by exogenous addition of RNA (containing siRNAs) from plants infected with an unrelated virus, resulting in a newly acquired ability of RISC to target this heterologous genome in vitro. Evidently the virus-specific nuclease complex from N. benthamiana represents a genuine RISC that functions as a readily employable and reprogrammable antiviral defense unit. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Design of a potent CD1d-binding NKT cell ligand as a vaccine adjuvant

    OpenAIRE

    Li, Xiangming; Fujio, Masakazu; Imamura, Masakazu; Wu, Douglass; Vasan, Sandhya; Wong, Chi-Huey; Ho, David D.; Tsuji, Moriya

    2010-01-01

    The glycolipid α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer) has been shown to bind CD1d molecules to activate invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells, and subsequently induce activation of various immune-competent cells, including dendritic cells, thereby providing a significant adjuvant effect for various vaccines. However, in phase I clinical trials, α-GalCer was shown to display only marginal biological activity. In our search for a glycolipid that can exert more potent stimulatory activity against iNK...

  14. Cissampelos pareira Linn: Natural Source of Potent Antiviral Activity against All Four Dengue Virus Serotypes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruchi Sood

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Dengue, a mosquito-borne viral disease, poses a significant global public health risk. In tropical countries such as India where periodic dengue outbreaks can be correlated to the high prevalence of the mosquito vector, circulation of all four dengue viruses (DENVs and the high population density, a drug for dengue is being increasingly recognized as an unmet public health need.Using the knowledge of traditional Indian medicine, Ayurveda, we developed a systematic bioassay-guided screening approach to explore the indigenous herbal bio-resource to identify plants with pan-DENV inhibitory activity. Our results show that the alcoholic extract of Cissampelos pariera Linn (Cipa extract was a potent inhibitor of all four DENVs in cell-based assays, assessed in terms of viral NS1 antigen secretion using ELISA, as well as viral replication, based on plaque assays. Virus yield reduction assays showed that Cipa extract could decrease viral titers by an order of magnitude. The extract conferred statistically significant protection against DENV infection using the AG129 mouse model. A preliminary evaluation of the clinical relevance of Cipa extract showed that it had no adverse effects on platelet counts and RBC viability. In addition to inherent antipyretic activity in Wistar rats, it possessed the ability to down-regulate the production of TNF-α, a cytokine implicated in severe dengue disease. Importantly, it showed no evidence of toxicity in Wistar rats, when administered at doses as high as 2g/Kg body weight for up to 1 week.Our findings above, taken in the context of the human safety of Cipa, based on its use in Indian traditional medicine, warrant further work to explore Cipa as a source for the development of an inexpensive herbal formulation for dengue therapy. This may be of practical relevance to a dengue-endemic resource-poor country such as India.

  15. Topoisomerase 1 Inhibition Promotes Cyclic GMP-AMP Synthase-Dependent Antiviral Responses

    OpenAIRE

    Pépin, Geneviève; Nejad, Charlotte; Ferrand, Jonathan; Thomas, Belinda J.; Stunden, H. James; Sanij, Elaine; Foo, Chwan-Hong; Stewart, Cameron R.; Cain, Jason E.; Bardin, Philip G.; Williams, Bryan R. G.; Gantier, Michael P.

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Inflammatory responses, while essential for pathogen clearance, can also be deleterious to the host. Chemical inhibition of topoisomerase 1 (Top1) by low-dose camptothecin (CPT) can suppress transcriptional induction of antiviral and inflammatory genes and protect animals from excessive and damaging inflammatory responses. We describe the unexpected finding that minor DNA damage from topoisomerase 1 inhibition with low-dose CPT can trigger a strong antiviral immune response through c...

  16. The Antiviral Mechanism of an Influenza A Virus Nucleoprotein-Specific Single-Domain Antibody Fragment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hanke, Leo; Knockenhauer, Kevin E.; Brewer, R. Camille; van Diest, Eline; Schmidt, Florian I.; Schwartz, Thomas U.; Ploegh, Hidde L. (Whitehead); (MIT)

    2016-12-13

    Alpaca-derived single-domain antibody fragments (VHHs) that target the influenza A virus nucleoprotein (NP) can protect cells from infection when expressed in the cytosol. We found that one such VHH, αNP-VHH1, exhibits antiviral activity similar to that of Mx proteins by blocking nuclear import of incoming viral ribonucleoproteins (vRNPs) and viral transcription and replication in the nucleus. We determined a 3.2-Å crystal structure of αNP-VHH1 in complex with influenza A virus NP. The VHH binds to a nonconserved region on the body domain of NP, which has been associated with binding to host factors and serves as a determinant of host range. Several of the NP/VHH interface residues determine sensitivity of NP to antiviral Mx GTPases. The structure of the NP/αNP-VHH1 complex affords a plausible explanation for the inhibitory properties of the VHH and suggests a rationale for the antiviral properties of Mx proteins. Such knowledge can be leveraged for much-needed novel antiviral strategies.

    IMPORTANCEInfluenza virus strains can rapidly escape from protection afforded by seasonal vaccines or acquire resistance to available drugs. Additional ways to interfere with the virus life cycle are therefore urgently needed. The influenza virus nucleoprotein is one promising target for antiviral interventions. We have previously isolated alpaca-derived single-domain antibody fragments (VHHs) that protect cells from influenza virus infection if expressed intracellularly. We show here that one such VHH exhibits antiviral activities similar to those of proteins of the cellular antiviral defense (Mx proteins). We determined the three-dimensional structure of this VHH in complex with the influenza virus nucleoprotein and identified the interaction site, which overlaps regions that determine sensitivity of the virus to Mx proteins. Our data define a new vulnerability of influenza virus, help us to better understand the cellular antiviral mechanisms, and

  17. Antiviral activity of Aloe vera against herpes simplex virus type 2: An ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    SERVER

    2007-08-06

    Aug 6, 2007 ... In this study we tested the antiviral activity of a crude hot glycerine extract of Aloe vera gel which was grown in Bushehr (Southwest of Iran) against HSV-2 replication in Vero cell line. The extract showed antiviral activity against HSV-2 not only before attachment and entry of virus to the Vero cells but also.

  18. Development of a broad-spectrum antiviral with activity against Ebola virus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aman, M Javad; Kinch, Michael S; Warfield, Kelly; Warren, Travis; Yunus, Abdul; Enterlein, Sven; Stavale, Eric; Wang, Peifang; Chang, Shaojing; Tang, Qingsong; Porter, Kevin; Goldblatt, Michael; Bavari, Sina

    2009-09-01

    We report herein the identification of a small molecule therapeutic, FGI-106, which displays potent and broad-spectrum inhibition of lethal viral hemorrhagic fevers pathogens, including Ebola, Rift Valley and Dengue Fever viruses, in cell-based assays. Using mouse models of Ebola virus, we further demonstrate that FGI-106 can protect animals from an otherwise lethal infection when used either in a prophylactic or therapeutic setting. A single treatment, administered 1 day after infection, is sufficient to protect animals from lethal Ebola virus challenge. Cell-based assays also identified inhibitory activity against divergent virus families, which supports a hypothesis that FGI-106 interferes with a common pathway utilized by different viruses. These findings suggest FGI-106 may provide an opportunity for targeting viral diseases.

  19. Antiviral activity of Petiveria alliacea against the bovine viral diarrhea virus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruffa, M J; Perusina, M; Alfonso, V; Wagner, M L; Suriano, M; Vicente, C; Campos, R; Cavallaro, L

    2002-07-01

    Natural products are a relevant source of antiviral drugs. Five medicinal plants used in Argentina have been assayed to detect inhibition of viral growth. Antiviral activity of the infusions and methanolic extracts of Aristolochia macroura, Celtis spinosa, Plantago major, Schinus areira, Petiveria alliacea and four extracts obtained from the leaves and stems of the last plant were evaluated by the plaque assay. P. alliacea, unlike A. macroura, C. spinosa, P. major and S. areira, inhibited bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) replication. Neither P. alliacea nor the assays of the other plants were active against herpes simplex virus type 1, poliovirus type 1, adenovirus serotype 7 and vesicular stomatitis virus type 1. Four extracts of P. alliacea were assayed to detect anti-BVDV activity. Ethyl acetate (EC(50) of 25 microg/ml) and dichloromethane (EC(50) of 43 microg/ml) extracts were active; moreover, promising SI (IC(50)/EC(50)) values were obtained. BVDV is highly prevalent in the cattle population, there are no antiviral compounds available; additionally, it is a viral model of the hepatitis C virus. For these reasons and in view of the results obtained, the isolation and characterization of the antiviral components present in the P. alliacea extracts is worth carrying out in the future. Copyright 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel

  20. Library-based discovery and characterization of daphnane diterpenes as potent and selective HIV inhibitors in Daphne gnidium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vidal, Vincent; Potterat, Olivier; Louvel, Séverine; Hamy, François; Mojarrab, Mahdi; Sanglier, Jean-Jacques; Klimkait, Thomas; Hamburger, Matthias

    2012-03-23

    Despite the existence of an extended armamentarium of effective synthetic drugs to treat HIV, there is a continuing need for new potent and affordable drugs. Given the successful history of natural product based drug discovery, a library of close to one thousand plant and fungal extracts was screened for antiretroviral activity. A dichloromethane extract of the aerial parts of Daphne gnidium exhibited strong antiretroviral activity and absence of cytotoxicity. With the aid of HPLC-based activity profiling, the antiviral activity could be tracked to four daphnane derivatives, namely, daphnetoxin (1), gnidicin (2), gniditrin (3), and excoecariatoxin (4). Detailed anti-HIV profiling revealed that the pure compounds were active against multidrug-resistant viruses irrespective of their cellular tropism. Mode of action studies that narrowed the site of activity to viral entry events suggested a direct interference with the expression of the two main HIV co-receptors, CCR5 and CXCR4, at the cell surface by daphnetoxin (1).

  1. Molecular Characterization of Lys49 and Asp49 Phospholipases A2 from Snake Venom and Their Antiviral Activities against Dengue virus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andre L. Fuly

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available We report the detailed molecular characterization of two PLA2s, Lys49 and Asp49 isolated from Bothrops leucurus venom, and examined their effects against Dengue virus (DENV. The Bl-PLA2s, named BlK-PLA2 and BlD-PLA2, are composed of 121 and 122 amino acids determined by automated sequencing of the native proteins and peptides produced by digestion with trypsin. They contain fourteen cysteines with pIs of 9.05 and 8.18 for BlK- and BlD-PLA2s, and show a high degree of sequence similarity to homologous snake venom PLA2s, but may display different biological effects. Molecular masses of 13,689.220 (Lys49 and 13,978.386 (Asp49 were determined by mass spectrometry. DENV causes a prevalent arboviral disease in humans, and no clinically approved antiviral therapy is currently available to treat DENV infections. The maximum non-toxic concentration of the proteins to LLC-MK2 cells determined by MTT assay was 40 µg/mL for Bl-PLA2s (pool and 20 µg/mL for each isoform. Antiviral effects of Bl-PLA2s were assessed by quantitative Real-Time PCR. Bl-PLA2s were able to reduce DENV-1, DENV-2, and DENV-3 serotypes in LLC-MK2 cells infection. Our data provide further insight into the structural properties and their antiviral activity against DENV, opening up possibilities for biotechnological applications of these Bl-PLA2s as tools of research.

  2. Molecular Characterization of Lys49 and Asp49 Phospholipases A2 from Snake Venom and Their Antiviral Activities against Dengue virus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cecilio, Alzira B.; Caldas, Sergio; De Oliveira, Raiana A.; Santos, Arthur S. B.; Richardson, Michael; Naumann, Gustavo B.; Schneider, Francisco S.; Alvarenga, Valeria G.; Estevão-Costa, Maria I.; Fuly, Andre L.; Eble, Johannes A.; Sanchez, Eladio F.

    2013-01-01

    We report the detailed molecular characterization of two PLA2s, Lys49 and Asp49 isolated from Bothrops leucurus venom, and examined their effects against Dengue virus (DENV). The Bl-PLA2s, named BlK-PLA2 and BlD-PLA2, are composed of 121 and 122 amino acids determined by automated sequencing of the native proteins and peptides produced by digestion with trypsin. They contain fourteen cysteines with pIs of 9.05 and 8.18 for BlK- and BlD-PLA2s, and show a high degree of sequence similarity to homologous snake venom PLA2s, but may display different biological effects. Molecular masses of 13,689.220 (Lys49) and 13,978.386 (Asp49) were determined by mass spectrometry. DENV causes a prevalent arboviral disease in humans, and no clinically approved antiviral therapy is currently available to treat DENV infections. The maximum non-toxic concentration of the proteins to LLC-MK2 cells determined by MTT assay was 40 µg/mL for Bl-PLA2s (pool) and 20 µg/mL for each isoform. Antiviral effects of Bl-PLA2s were assessed by quantitative Real-Time PCR. Bl-PLA2s were able to reduce DENV-1, DENV-2, and DENV-3 serotypes in LLC-MK2 cells infection. Our data provide further insight into the structural properties and their antiviral activity against DENV, opening up possibilities for biotechnological applications of these Bl-PLA2s as tools of research. PMID:24131891

  3. A human genome-wide loss-of-function screen identifies effective chikungunya antiviral drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karlas, Alexander; Berre, Stefano; Couderc, Thérèse; Varjak, Margus; Braun, Peter; Meyer, Michael; Gangneux, Nicolas; Karo-Astover, Liis; Weege, Friderike; Raftery, Martin; Schönrich, Günther; Klemm, Uwe; Wurzlbauer, Anne; Bracher, Franz; Merits, Andres; Meyer, Thomas F; Lecuit, Marc

    2016-05-12

    Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a globally spreading alphavirus against which there is no commercially available vaccine or therapy. Here we use a genome-wide siRNA screen to identify 156 proviral and 41 antiviral host factors affecting CHIKV replication. We analyse the cellular pathways in which human proviral genes are involved and identify druggable targets. Twenty-one small-molecule inhibitors, some of which are FDA approved, targeting six proviral factors or pathways, have high antiviral activity in vitro, with low toxicity. Three identified inhibitors have prophylactic antiviral effects in mouse models of chikungunya infection. Two of them, the calmodulin inhibitor pimozide and the fatty acid synthesis inhibitor TOFA, have a therapeutic effect in vivo when combined. These results demonstrate the value of loss-of-function screening and pathway analysis for the rational identification of small molecules with therapeutic potential and pave the way for the development of new, host-directed, antiviral agents.

  4. Discovery of Novel Bovine Viral Diarrhea Inhibitors Using Structure-Based Virtual Screening on the Envelope Protein E2

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariela Bollini

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV is a member of the genus Pestivirus within the family Flaviviridae. BVDV causes both acute and persistent infections in cattle, leading to substantial financial losses to the livestock industry each year. The global prevalence of persistent BVDV infection and the lack of a highly effective antiviral therapy have spurred intensive efforts to discover and develop novel anti-BVDV therapies in the pharmaceutical industry. Antiviral targeting of virus envelope proteins is an effective strategy for therapeutic intervention of viral infections. We performed prospective small-molecule high-throughput docking to identify molecules that likely bind to the region delimited by domains I and II of the envelope protein E2 of BVDV. Several structurally different compounds were purchased or synthesized, and assayed for antiviral activity against BVDV. Five of the selected compounds were active displaying IC50 values in the low- to mid-micromolar range. For these compounds, their possible binding determinants were characterized by molecular dynamics simulations. A common pattern of interactions between active molecules and aminoacid residues in the binding site in E2 was observed. These findings could offer a better understanding of the interaction of BVDV E2 with these inhibitors, as well as benefit the discovery of novel and more potent BVDV antivirals.

  5. Discovery of novel bovine viral diarrhea inhibitors using structure-based virtual screening on the envelope protein E2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bollini, Mariela; Leal, Emilse S.; Adler, Natalia S.; Aucar, María G.; Fernández, Gabriela A.; Pascual, María J.; Merwaiss, Fernando; Alvarez, Diego E.; Cavasotto, Claudio N.

    2018-03-01

    Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is a member of the genus Pestivirus within the family Flaviviridae. BVDV causes both acute and persistent infections in cattle, leading to substantial financial losses to the livestock industry each year. The global prevalence of persistent BVDV infection and the lack of a highly effective antiviral therapy have spurred intensive efforts to discover and develop novel anti-BVDV therapies in the pharmaceutical industry. Antiviral targeting of virus envelope proteins is an effective strategy for therapeutic intervention of viral infections. We performed prospective small-molecule high-throughput docking to identify molecules that likely bind to the region delimited by domains I and II of the envelope protein E2 of BVDV. Several structurally different compounds were purchased or synthesized, and assayed for antiviral activity against BVDV. Five of the selected compounds were active displaying IC50 values in the low- to mid-micromolar range. For these compounds, their possible binding determinants were characterized by molecular dynamics simulations. A common pattern of interactions between active molecules and aminoacid residues in the binding site in E2 was observed. These findings could offer a better understanding of the interaction of BVDV E2 with these inhibitors, as well as benefit the discovery of novel and more potent BVDV antivirals.

  6. La respuesta inmune antiviral

    OpenAIRE

    Sánchez de la Rosa, Rainel; Sánchez de la Rosa, Ernesto; Rodríguez Hernández, Néstor

    1998-01-01

    Se expone que los virus son parásitos intracelulares obligados, puesto que no tienen metabolismo propio; esto obliga al sistema inmune a poner en marcha sus mecanismos más especializados para reconocer y eliminar, tanto a los virus libres, como a las células infectadas. Se señala que las células presentadoras de antígenos, los linfocitos B y los T unidos al complejo mayor de histocompatibilidad, forman parte de la organización de la respuesta inmune antiviral; la inducción de esta respuesta c...

  7. The role of fluoxetine in antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C

    OpenAIRE

    QIN Yuan; ZHANG Ying; ZHAO Jieru

    2016-01-01

    More than 20% of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients receiving the antiviral therapy with interferonα(IFNα) experience depression, and fluoxetine is often used to alleviate this symptom. Fluoxetine has anti-inflammatory properties and can change the synthesis of liver lipids, but its influence on antiviral therapy for CHC and related mechanism remain unknown. Recent studies show that fluoxetine can inhibit hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and reduce the production of reactive oxygen species (...

  8. From genome to antivirals: SARS as a test tube.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kliger, Yossef; Levanon, Erez Y; Gerber, Doron

    2005-03-01

    The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic brought into the spotlight the need for rapid development of effective anti-viral drugs against newly emerging viruses. Researchers have leveraged the 20-year battle against AIDS into a variety of possible treatments for SARS. Most prominently, based solely on viral genome information, silencers of viral genes, viral-enzyme blockers and viral-entry inhibitors were suggested as potential therapeutic agents for SARS. In particular, inhibitors of viral entry, comprising therapeutic peptides, were based on the recently launched anti-HIV drug enfuvirtide. This could represent one of the most direct routes from genome sequencing to the discovery of antiviral drugs.

  9. Antiviral activities of streptomycetes against tobacco mosaic virus ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Mahera Shinwari

    2012-01-26

    Jan 26, 2012 ... Key words: Antiviral activity, tobacco mosaic virus, actinomycetes, Streptomyces, Datura metel ... have received less attention than those caused by fungal .... leaves were divided in to three partitions each containing triplicates.

  10. Antiviral activity of human lactoferrin: inhibition of alphavirus interaction with heparan sulfate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Waarts, Barry-Lee; Aneke, Onwuchekwa J.C.; Smit, Jolanda M.; Kimata, Koji; Bittman, Robert; Meijer, Dirk K.F.; Wilschut, Jan

    2005-01-01

    Human lactoferrin is a component of the non-specific immune system with distinct antiviral properties. We used alphaviruses, adapted to interaction with heparan sulfate (HS), as a tool to investigate the mechanism of lactoferrin's antiviral activity. Lactoferrin inhibited infection of BHK-21 cells by HS-adapted, but not by non-adapted, Sindbis virus (SIN) or Semliki Forest virus (SFV). Lactoferrin also inhibited binding of radiolabeled HS-adapted viruses to BHK-21 cells or liposomes containing lipid-conjugated heparin as a receptor analog. On the other hand, low-pH-induced fusion of the viruses with liposomes, which occurs independently of virus-receptor interaction, was unaffected. Studies involving preincubation of virus or cells with lactoferrin suggested that the protein does not bind to the virus, but rather blocks HS-moieties on the cell surface. Charge-modified human serum albumin, with a net positive charge, had a similar antiviral effect against HS-adapted SIN and SFV, suggesting that the antiviral activity of lactoferrin is related to its positive charge. It is concluded that human lactoferrin inhibits viral infection by interfering with virus-receptor interaction rather than by affecting subsequent steps in the viral cell entry or replication processes

  11. Interleukin-27 is a potent inhibitor of cis HIV-1 replication in monocyte-derived dendritic cells via a type I interferon-independent pathway.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qian Chen

    Full Text Available IL-27, a member of the IL-12 family of cytokines, plays an important and diverse role in the function of the immune system. Whilst generally recognized as an anti-inflammatory cytokine, in addition IL-27 has been found to have broad anti-viral effects. Recently, IL-27 has been shown to be a potent inhibitor of HIV-1 infection in CD4+ T cells and macrophages. The main objective of this study was to see whether IL-27 has a similar inhibitory effect on HIV-1 replication in dendritic cells (DCs. Monocytes were differentiated into immature DCs (iDCs and mature DCs (mDCs with standard techniques using a combination of GM-CSF, IL-4 and LPS. Following differentiation, iDCs were infected with HIV-1 and co-cultured in the presence or absence of IL-27. IL-27 treated DCs were shown to be highly potent inhibitors of cis HIV-1, particularly of CCR5 tropic strains. Of note, other IL-12 family members (IL-12, IL-23 and IL-35 had no effect on HIV-1 replication. Microarray studies of IL-27 treated DCs showed no up-regulation of Type I (IFN gene expression. Neutralization of the Type-I IFN receptor had no impact on the HIV inhibition. Lastly, IL-27 mediated inhibition was shown to act post-viral entry and prior to completion of reverse transcription. These results show for the first time that IL-27 is a potent inhibitor of cis HIV-1 infection in DCs by a Type I IFN independent mechanism. IL-27 has previously been reported to inhibit HIV-1 replication in CD4+ T cells and macrophages, thus taken together, this cytokine is a potent anti-HIV agent against all major cell types targeted by the HIV-1 virus and may have a therapeutic role in the future.

  12. Current Landscape of Antiviral Drug Discovery [version 1; referees: 2 approved

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wade Blair

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Continued discovery and development of new antiviral medications are paramount for global human health, particularly as new pathogens emerge and old ones evolve to evade current therapeutic agents. Great success has been achieved in developing effective therapies to suppress human immunodeficiency virus (HIV and hepatitis B virus (HBV; however, the therapies are not curative and therefore current efforts in HIV and HBV drug discovery are directed toward longer-acting therapies and/or developing new mechanisms of action that could potentially lead to cure, or eradication, of the virus. Recently, exciting early clinical data have been reported for novel antivirals targeting respiratory syncytial virus (RSV and influenza (flu. Preclinical data suggest that these new approaches may be effective in treating high-risk patients afflicted with serious RSV or flu infections. In this review, we highlight new directions in antiviral approaches for HIV, HBV, and acute respiratory virus infections.

  13. Potent innate immune response to pathogenic leptospira in human whole blood.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marga G A Goris

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis is caused by pathogenic spirochetes of the genus Leptospira. The bacteria enter the human body via abraded skin or mucous membranes and may disseminate throughout. In general the clinical picture is mild but some patients develop rapidly progressive, severe disease with a high case fatality rate. Not much is known about the innate immune response to leptospires during haematogenous dissemination. Previous work showed that a human THP-1 cell line recognized heat-killed leptospires and leptospiral LPS through TLR2 instead of TLR4. The LPS of virulent leptospires displayed a lower potency to trigger TNF production by THP-1 cells compared to LPS of non-virulent leptospires. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We investigated the host response and killing of virulent and non-virulent Leptospira of different serovars by human THP-1 cells, human PBMC's and human whole blood. Virulence of each leptospiral strain was tested in a well accepted standard guinea pig model. Virulent leptospires displayed complement resistance in human serum and whole blood while in-vitro attenuated non-virulent leptospires were rapidly killed in a complement dependent manner. In vitro stimulation of THP-1 and PBMC's with heat-killed and living leptospires showed differential serovar and cell type dependence of cytokine induction. However, at low, physiological, leptospiral dose, living virulent complement resistant strains were consistently more potent in whole blood stimulations than the corresponding non-virulent complement sensitive strains. At higher dose living virulent and non-virulent leptospires were equipotent in whole blood. Inhibition of different TLRs indicated that both TLR2 and TLR4 as well as TLR5 play a role in the whole blood cytokine response to living leptospires. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Thus, in a minimally altered system as human whole blood, highly virulent Leptospira are potent inducers of the cytokine response.

  14. Antiviral and Inflammatory Cellular Signaling Associated with Enterovirus 71 Infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuefei Jin

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Enterovirus 71 (EV71 infection has become a major threat to global public health, especially in infants and young children. Epidemiological studies have indicated that EV71 infection is responsible for severe and even fatal cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD. Accumulated evidence indicates that EV71 infection triggers a plethora of interactive signaling pathways, resulting in host immune evasion and inflammatory response. This review mainly covers the effects of EV71 infection on major antiviral and inflammatory cellular signal pathways. EV71 can activate cellular signaling networks including multiple cell surface and intracellular receptors, intracellular kinases, calcium flux, and transcription factors that regulate antiviral innate immunity and inflammatory response. Cellular signaling plays a critical role in the regulation of host innate immune and inflammatory pathogenesis. Elucidation of antiviral and inflammatory cellular signaling pathways initiated by EV71 will not only help uncover the potential mechanisms of EV71 infection-induced pathogenesis, but will also provide clues for the design of therapeutic strategies against EV71 infection.

  15. Tailoring acyclovir prodrugs with enhanced antiviral activity: rational design, synthesis, human plasma stability and in vitro evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chayrov, Radoslav L; Stylos, Evgenios K; Chatziathanasiadou, Maria V; Chuchkov, Kiril N; Tencheva, Aleksandra I; Kostagianni, Androniki D; Milkova, Tsenka S; Angelova, Assia L; Galabov, Angel S; Shishkov, Stoyan A; Todorov, Daniel G; Tzakos, Andreas G; Stankova, Ivanka G

    2018-05-19

    Bile acid prodrugs have served as a viable strategy for refining the pharmaceutical profile of parent drugs through utilizing bile acid transporters. A series of three ester prodrugs of the antiherpetic drug acyclovir (ACV) with the bile acids cholic, chenodeoxycholic and deoxycholic were synthesized and evaluated along with valacyclovir for their in vitro antiviral activity against herpes simplex viruses type 1 and type 2 (HSV-1, HSV-2). The in vitro antiviral activity of the three bile acid prodrugs was also evaluated against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Plasma stability assays, utilizing ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, in vitro cytotoxicity and inhibitory experiments were conducted in order to establish the biological profile of ACV prodrugs. The antiviral assays demonstrated that ACV-cholate had slightly better antiviral activity than ACV against HSV-1, while it presented an eight-fold higher activity with respect to ACV against HSV-2. ACV-chenodeoxycholate presented a six-fold higher antiviral activity against HSV-2 with respect to ACV. Concerning EBV, the highest antiviral effect was demonstrated by ACV-chenodeoxycholate. Human plasma stability assays revealed that ACV-deoxycholate was more stable than the other two prodrugs. These results suggest that decorating the core structure of ACV with bile acids could deliver prodrugs with amplified antiviral activity.

  16. Antiviral Goes Viral: Harnessing CRISPR/Cas9 to Combat Viruses in Humans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soppe, Jasper Adriaan; Lebbink, Robert Jan

    2017-10-01

    The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated (Cas) systems are RNA-guided sequence-specific prokaryotic antiviral immune systems. In prokaryotes, small RNA molecules guide Cas effector endonucleases to invading foreign genetic elements in a sequence-dependent manner, resulting in DNA cleavage by the endonuclease upon target binding. A rewired CRISPR/Cas9 system can be used for targeted and precise genome editing in eukaryotic cells. CRISPR/Cas has also been harnessed to target human pathogenic viruses as a potential new antiviral strategy. Here, we review recent CRISPR/Cas9-based approaches to combat specific human viruses in humans and discuss challenges that need to be overcome before CRISPR/Cas9 may be used in the clinic as an antiviral strategy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Human and Mouse Eosinophils Have Antiviral Activity against Parainfluenza Virus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drake, Matthew G; Bivins-Smith, Elizabeth R; Proskocil, Becky J; Nie, Zhenying; Scott, Gregory D; Lee, James J; Lee, Nancy A; Fryer, Allison D; Jacoby, David B

    2016-09-01

    Respiratory viruses cause asthma exacerbations. Because eosinophils are the prominent leukocytes in the airways of 60-70% of patients with asthma, we evaluated the effects of eosinophils on a common respiratory virus, parainfluenza 1, in the lung. Eosinophils recruited to the airways of wild-type mice after ovalbumin sensitization and challenge significantly decreased parainfluenza virus RNA in the lungs 4 days after infection compared with nonsensitized animals. This antiviral effect was also seen in IL-5 transgenic mice with an abundance of airway eosinophils (NJ.1726) but was lost in transgenic eosinophil-deficient mice (PHIL) and in IL-5 transgenic mice crossed with eosinophil-deficient mice (NJ.1726-PHIL). Loss of the eosinophil granule protein eosinophil peroxidase, using eosinophil peroxidase-deficient transgenic mice, did not reduce eosinophils' antiviral effect. Eosinophil antiviral mechanisms were also explored in vitro. Isolated human eosinophils significantly reduced parainfluenza virus titers. This effect did not involve degradation of viral RNA by eosinophil granule RNases. However, eosinophils treated with a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor lost their antiviral activity, suggesting eosinophils attenuate viral infectivity through production of nitric oxide. Consequently, eosinophil nitric oxide production was measured with an intracellular fluorescent probe. Eosinophils produced nitric oxide in response to virus and to a synthetic agonist of the virus-sensing innate immune receptor, Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7. IFNγ increased expression of eosinophil TLR7 and potentiated TLR7-induced nitric oxide production. These results suggest that eosinophils promote viral clearance in the lung and contribute to innate immune responses against respiratory virus infections in humans.

  18. Bell's Palsy: Treatment with Steroids and Antiviral Drugs

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Drooping of a corner of the mouth • Difficulty smiling, frowning, or making other facial expressions • Twitching or ... no definite added improvement. If there is any benefit to adding an antiviral to steroid treatment, it ...

  19. Potent antiviral agents fail to elicit genetically-stable resistance mutations in either enterovirus 71 or Coxsackievirus A16.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelly, James T; De Colibus, Luigi; Elliott, Lauren; Fry, Elizabeth E; Stuart, David I; Rowlands, David J; Stonehouse, Nicola J

    2015-12-01

    Enterovirus 71 (EV71) and Coxsackievirus A16 (CVA16) are the two major causative agents of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), for which there are currently no licenced treatments. Here, the acquisition of resistance towards two novel capsid-binding compounds, NLD and ALD, was studied and compared to the analogous compound GPP3. During serial passage, EV71 rapidly became resistant to each compound and mutations at residues I113 and V123 in VP1 were identified. A mutation at residue 113 was also identified in CVA16 after passage with GPP3. The mutations were associated with reduced thermostability and were rapidly lost in the absence of inhibitors. In silico modelling suggested that the mutations prevented the compounds from binding the VP1 pocket in the capsid. Although both viruses developed resistance to these potent pocket-binding compounds, the acquired mutations were associated with large fitness costs and reverted to WT phenotype and sequence rapidly in the absence of inhibitors. The most effective inhibitor, NLD, had a very large selectivity index, showing interesting pharmacological properties as a novel anti-EV71 agent. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Direct-acting antiviral therapy decreases hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence rate in cirrhotic patients with chronic hepatitis C.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Virlogeux, Victor; Pradat, Pierre; Hartig-Lavie, Kerstin; Bailly, François; Maynard, Marianne; Ouziel, Guillaume; Poinsot, Domitille; Lebossé, Fanny; Ecochard, Marie; Radenne, Sylvie; Benmakhlouf, Samir; Koffi, Joseph; Lack, Philippe; Scholtes, Caroline; Uhres, Anne-Claire; Ducerf, Christian; Mabrut, Jean-Yves; Rode, Agnès; Levrero, Massimo; Combet, Christophe; Merle, Philippe; Zoulim, Fabien

    2017-08-01

    Arrival of direct-acting antiviral agents against hepatitis C virus with high-sustained virological response rates and very few side effects has drastically changed the management of hepatitis C virus infection. The impact of direct-acting antiviral exposure on hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after a first remission in patients with advanced fibrosis remains to be clarified. 68 consecutive hepatitis C virus patients with a first hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis and under remission, subsequently treated or not with a direct-acting antiviral combination, were included. Clinical, biological and virological data were collected at first hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis, at remission and during the surveillance period. All patients were cirrhotic. Median age was 62 years and 76% of patients were male. Twenty-three patients (34%) were treated with direct-acting antivirals and 96% of them achieved sustained virological response. Median time between hepatocellular carcinoma remission and direct-acting antivirals initiation was 7.2 months (IQR: 3.6-13.5; range: 0.3-71.4) and median time between direct-acting antivirals start and hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence was 13.0 months (IQR: 9.2-19.6; range: 3.0-24.7). Recurrence rate was 1.7/100 person-months among treated patients vs 4.2/100 person-months among untreated patients (P=.008). In multivariate survival analysis, the hazard ratio for hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after direct-acting antivirals exposure was 0.24 (95% confidence interval: 0.10-0.55; PHepatocellular carcinoma recurrence rate was significantly lower among patients treated with direct-acting antivirals compared with untreated patients. Given the potential impact of our observation, large-scale prospective cohort studies are needed to confirm these results. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Topoisomerase 1 Inhibition Promotes Cyclic GMP-AMP Synthase-Dependent Antiviral Responses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Geneviève Pèépin

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Inflammatory responses, while essential for pathogen clearance, can also be deleterious to the host. Chemical inhibition of topoisomerase 1 (Top1 by low-dose camptothecin (CPT can suppress transcriptional induction of antiviral and inflammatory genes and protect animals from excessive and damaging inflammatory responses. We describe the unexpected finding that minor DNA damage from topoisomerase 1 inhibition with low-dose CPT can trigger a strong antiviral immune response through cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS detection of cytoplasmic DNA. This argues against CPT having only anti-inflammatory activity. Furthermore, expression of the simian virus 40 (SV40 large T antigen was paramount to the proinflammatory antiviral activity of CPT, as it potentiated cytoplasmic DNA leakage and subsequent cGAS recruitment in human and mouse cell lines. This work suggests that the capacity of Top1 inhibitors to blunt inflammatory responses can be counteracted by viral oncogenes and that this should be taken into account for their therapeutic development.

  2. Antiviral Activity of Novel Quinoline Derivatives against Dengue Virus Serotype 2

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carolina de la Guardia

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Dengue virus causes dengue fever, a debilitating disease with an increasing incidence in many tropical and subtropical territories. So far, there are no effective antivirals licensed to treat this virus. Here we describe the synthesis and antiviral activity evaluation of two compounds based on the quinoline scaffold, which has shown potential for the development of molecules with various biological activities. Two of the tested compounds showed dose-dependent inhibition of dengue virus serotype 2 in the low and sub micromolar range. The compounds 1 and 2 were also able to impair the accumulation of the viral envelope glycoprotein in infected cells, while showing no sign of direct virucidal activity and acting possibly through a mechanism involving the early stages of the infection. The results are congruent with previously reported data showing the potential of quinoline derivatives as a promising scaffold for the development of new antivirals against this important virus.

  3. The role of fluoxetine in antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    QIN Yuan

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available More than 20% of chronic hepatitis C (CHC patients receiving the antiviral therapy with interferonα(IFNα experience depression, and fluoxetine is often used to alleviate this symptom. Fluoxetine has anti-inflammatory properties and can change the synthesis of liver lipids, but its influence on antiviral therapy for CHC and related mechanism remain unknown. Recent studies show that fluoxetine can inhibit hepatitis C virus (HCV infection and reduce the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS and lipid accumulation in Huh7.5 cells; in addition, it can promote the antiviral effect mediated by IFNα through activating STAT1 and JNK signaling pathways and thus reduce HCV viral load and the level of alanine aminotransferase in CHC patients. Fluoxetine elevates PPAR response element activity in CHC patients, and its inhibitory effect on HCV infection and lipid accumulation were partly reversed by antagonists including PPARβ/γ, suggesting that fluoxetine inhibits HCV infection, ROS production, and lipid accumulation through regulating PPARβ/γ and JNK/STAT pathways.

  4. In Vitro Study of Eight Indonesian Natural Extracts as Antiviral Against Dengue Virus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leli Saptawati

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available 800x600 Background: Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF caused by a dengue viruses is still a major problem in tropical countries, including Indonesia. World Health Organization data showed that over 40% of world population are at risk of DHF.1In 2014 there were 71.668 of DHF cases in 34 provinces with 641 death.2 In Central Java in 2013, the incidence rate and fatality rate of DHF was 45.52 in 100.000 populations and 1.21% respectively.3 Until nowadays, there is no vaccine or effective therapy is available as yet.4 Thus research on discovering specific antiviral against dengue is needed. Indonesia is rich in indigenous herbal plants, which may has potential antiviral activity, such as Psidium guajava (Jambu biji, Euphorbia hirta (Patikn kerbau, Piper bettle L (Sirih, Carica papaya (Pepaya, Curcuma longa L(Kunyit/turmeric, Phyllanthus niruri L (meniran, Andrographis paniculata (Sambiloto, Cymbopogon citrates (Serai. Previous studies show that these plants have antiviral and antibacterial properties.5However, there is only limited study of these plants against dengue virus . Objective: This study aimed to know whether these plants have potential activity against dengue virus in vitro. Method: Leave extracts of eight indigenous herbal plants as mention before were originated from Solo, Central Java, the crude extracts were tested in vitro against dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2 strain NGC using Huh7it-1 cell line. Those crude extracts were screened for antiviral activity using doses of 20mg/ml. Candidates that showed inhibition activity were further tested in various doses to determine IC50 and CC50. Result: From eight leave extracts tested, one of them i.e Carica papaya (pepaya inhibited virus replication up to 89,5%. Dose dependent assay with C.papaya resulted in IC50, CC50 and selectivity index 6,57 μg/mL, 244,76 μg/mL and 37, 25 μg/mL respectively. Conclusion: C.papaya has potential antiviral activity against dengue virus in vitro. Further study

  5. Public preferences for vaccination and antiviral medicines under different pandemic flu outbreak scenarios.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rubinstein, Helena; Marcu, Afrodita; Yardley, Lucy; Michie, Susan

    2015-02-27

    During the 2009-2010 A(H1N1) pandemic, many people did not seek care quickly enough, failed to take a full course of antivirals despite being authorised to receive them, and were not vaccinated. Understanding facilitators and barriers to the uptake of vaccination and antiviral medicines will help inform campaigns in future pandemic influenza outbreaks. Increasing uptake of vaccines and antiviral medicines may need to address a range of drivers of behaviour. The aim was to identify facilitators of and barriers to being vaccinated and taking antiviral medicines in uncertain and severe pandemic influenza scenarios using a theoretical model of behaviour change, COM-B. Focus groups and interviews with 71 members of the public in England who varied in their at-risk status. Participants responded to uncertain and severe scenarios, and to messages giving advice on vaccination and antiviral medicines. Data were thematically analysed using the theoretical framework provided by the COM-B model. Influences on uptake of vaccines and antiviral medicines - capabilities, motivations and opportunities - are part of an inter-related behavioural system and different components influenced each other. An identity of being healthy and immune from infection was invoked to explain feelings of invulnerability and hence a reduced need to be vaccinated, especially during an uncertain scenario. The identity of being a 'healthy person' also included beliefs about avoiding medicine and allowing the body to fight disease 'naturally'. This was given as a reason for using alternative precautionary behaviours to vaccination. This identity could be held by those not at-risk and by those who were clinically at-risk. Promoters and barriers to being vaccinated and taking antiviral medicines are multi-dimensional and communications to promote uptake are likely to be most effective if they address several components of behaviour. The benefit of using the COM-B model is that it is at the core of an

  6. Removal of the antiviral agent oseltamivir and its biological activity by oxidative processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mestankova, Hana; Schirmer, Kristin; Escher, Beate I.; Gunten, Urs von

    2012-01-01

    The antiviral agent oseltamivir acid (OA, the active metabolite of Tamiflu ® ) may occur at high concentrations in wastewater during pandemic influenza events. To eliminate OA and its antiviral activity from wastewater, ozonation and advanced oxidation processes were investigated. For circumneutral pH, kinetic measurements yielded second-order rate constants of 1.7 ± 0.1 × 10 5 and 4.7 ± 0.2 × 10 9 M −1 s −1 for the reaction of OA with ozone and hydroxyl radical, respectively. During the degradation of OA by both oxidants, the antiviral activity of the treated aqueous solutions was measured by inhibition of neuraminidase activity of two different viral strains. A transient, moderate (two-fold) increase in antiviral activity was observed in solutions treated up to a level of 50% OA transformation, while for higher degrees of transformation the activity corresponded to that caused exclusively by OA. OA was efficiently removed by ozonation in a wastewater treatment plant effluent, suggesting that ozonation can be applied to remove OA from wastewater. - Highlights: ► Oseltamivir acid (OA) is oxidized by ozone and hydroxyl radical. ► Kinetics: We determined rate constants for the reaction with these oxidants. ► The specific activity of OA as neuraminidase inhibitor disappeared during oxidation. ► Ozonation and advanced oxidation can effectively remove OA from wastewaters. - Ozone and hydroxyl radical treatment processes can degrade aqueous oseltamivir acid and remove its antiviral activity.

  7. A small effect of adding antiviral agents in treating patients with severe Bell palsy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Veen, Erwin L; Rovers, Maroeska M; de Ru, J Alexander; van der Heijden, Geert J

    2012-03-01

    In this evidence-based case report, the authors studied the following clinical question: What is the effect of adding antiviral agents to corticosteroids in the treatment of patients with severe or complete Bell palsy? The search yielded 250 original research articles. The 6 randomized trials of these that could be used all reported low-quality data for answering the clinical question; apart from apparent flaws, they did not primarily include patients with severe or complete Bell palsy. Complete functional facial nerve recovery was seen in 75% of the patients receiving prednisolone only and in 83% with additional antiviral treatment. The pooled risk difference of 7% (95% confidence interval, -1% to 15%) results in a number needed to treat of 14 (ie, slightly favors adding an antiviral agent). The authors conclude that although a strong recommendation for adding antiviral agents to corticosteroids to further improve the recovery of patients with severe Bell palsy is precluded by the lack of robust evidence, it should be discussed with the patient.

  8. Design, synthesis, antiviral activity and mode of action of phenanthrene-containing N-heterocyclic compounds inspired by the phenanthroindolizidine alkaloid antofine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Xiuling; Wei, Peng; Wang, Ziwen; Liu, Yuxiu; Wang, Lizhong; Wang, Qingmin

    2016-02-01

    The phenanthroindolizidine alkaloid antofine and its analogues have excellent antiviral activity against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). To simplify the structure and the synthesis of the phenanthroindolizidine alkaloid, a series of phenanthrene-containing N-heterocyclic compounds (compounds 1 to 33) were designed and synthesised, based on the intermolecular interaction of antofine and TMV RNA, and systematically evaluated for their anti-TMV activity. Most of these compounds exhibited good to reasonable anti-TMV activity. The optimum compounds 5, 12 and 21 displayed higher activity than the lead compound antofine and commercial ribavirin. Compound 12 was chosen for field trials of antiviral efficacy against TMV, and was found to exhibit better activity than control plant virus inhibitors. Compounds 5 and 12 were chosen for mode of action studies. The changes in fluorescence intensity of compounds 5 and 12 on separated TMV RNA showed that these small molecules can also bind to TMV RNA, but the mode is very different from that of antofine. The compounds combining phenanthrene and an N-heterocyclic ring could maintain the anti-TMV activity of phenanthroindolizidines, but their modes of action are different from that of antofine. The present study lays a good foundation for us to find more efficient anti-plant virus reagents. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  9. Antiviral Prophylaxis and H1N1

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2011-07-14

    Dr. Richard Pebody, a consultant epidemiologist at the Health Protection Agency in London, UK, discusses the use of antiviral post-exposure prophylaxis and pandemic H1N1.  Created: 7/14/2011 by National Center for Emerging Zoonotic and Infectious Diseases (NCEZID).   Date Released: 7/18/2011.

  10. Quantitative Analysis of a Parasitic Antiviral Strategy

    OpenAIRE

    Kim, Hwijin; Yin, John

    2004-01-01

    We extended a computer simulation of viral intracellular growth to study a parasitic antiviral strategy that diverts the viral replicase toward parasite growth. This strategy inhibited virus growth over a wide range of conditions, while minimizing host cell perturbations. Such parasitic strategies may inhibit the development of drug-resistant virus strains.

  11. La protéine CG4572 de Drosophile et la propagation du signal ARNi immun antiviral

    OpenAIRE

    Karlikow , Margot

    2015-01-01

    During viral infection, cell survival will depend on adequately giving, receiving and processing information to establish an efficient antiviral immune response. Cellular communication is therefore essential to allow the propagation of immune signals that will confer protection to the entire organism.The major antiviral defense in insects is the RNA interference (RNAi) mechanism that is activated by detection of viral double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). The antiviral RNAi mechanism can be divided in...

  12. Antiviral stockpiles for influenza pandemics from the household perspective: treatment alone versus treatment with prophylaxis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwok, Kin On; Leung, Gabriel M; Mak, Peter; Riley, Steven

    2013-06-01

    Model-based studies of antiviral use to mitigate the impact of moderate and severe influenza pandemics implicitly take the viewpoint of a central public health authority. However, it seems likely that the key decision of when to use antivirals will be made at the household level. We used a stochastic compartmental model of the transmission of influenza within and between households to evaluate the expected mortality under two strategies: households saving available antivirals for treatment only and households implementing prophylaxis as well as treatment. Given that every individual in the population was allocated a single course of antivirals, we investigated the impact of these two strategies for a wide range of AVED, the efficacy of antivirals in preventing death in severe cases (AVED=1 for complete protection). We found a cross-over point for our baseline parameter values in a regime where antivirals were still highly effective in reducing the chance of death: below AVED=0.9 the optimal strategy was for households to use both treatment and prophylaxis. We also considered the possibility that a small number of households might "cheat" by choosing to follow the treatment-only strategy when other households were following treatment with prophylaxis. The cross-over point for cheating households was considerably lower, at AVED=0.6, but substantially above 0. These results suggest that unless antivirals are almost completely effective in reducing the chance of death in serious cases, households will likely be better served implementing prophylaxis as well as treatment. More generally, our study illustrates the potential value of considering viewpoints other than a central authority when conducting model-based analysis of interventions against infectious disease. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Studies on Antiviral and Immuno-Regulation Activity of Low Molecular Weight Fucoidan from Laminaria japonica

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Taohua; Zhang, Xinhui; Miao, Ying; Zhou, Yang; Shi, Jie; Yan, Meixing; Chen, Anjin

    2018-06-01

    The antiviral activity in vitro and in vivo and the effect of the immune system of two fucoidan fractions with low molecular weight and different sulfate content from Laminaria japonica (LMW fucoidans) were investigated in order to examine the possible mechanism. In vitro, I-type influenza virus, adenovirus and Parainfluenza virus I were used to infect Hep-2, Hela and MDCK cells, respectively. And 50% tissue culture infective dose was calculated to detect the antiviral activity of two LMW fucoidans. The results indicated that compared with the control group, 2 kinds of LMW fucoidans had remarkable antiviral activity in vitro in middle and high doses, while at low doses, the antiviral activity of 2 kinds of LMW fucoidans was not statistically different from that in the blank control group. And there was no statistically difference between two LMW fucoidans in antiviral activity. In vivo, LMW fucoidans could prolong the survival time of virus-infected mice, and could improve the lung index of virus-infected mice significantly, which have statistical differences with the control group significantly ( p 0.05). In this study, it was shown that both of two LMW fucoidans (LF1, LF2) could increase the thymus index, spleen index, phagocytic index, phagocytosis coefficient and half hemolysin value in middle and high doses, which suggested that LMW fucoidans could play an antiviral role by improving the quality of immune organs, improving immune cell phagocytosis and humoral immunity.

  14. Generation of antiviral transgenic chicken using spermatogonial ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study was conducted in order to generate anti-viral transgenic chickens through transfected spermatogonial stem cell with fusion gene EGFP-MMx. After injecting fusion gene EGFP-MMx into testes, tissues frozen section, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and dot blot of testes was performed at 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 ...

  15. Atividade antiviral de extratos de plantas medicinais disponíveis comercialmente frente aos herpesvírus suíno e bovino Antiviral activity of commercially available medicinal plants on suid and bovine herpesviruses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V.M. Kaziyama

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available O presente trabalho teve como objetivo pesquisar a atividade antiviral in vitro de plantas medicinais disponíveis comercialmente sobre herpesvírus suíno (SuHV-1 e bovino (BoHV-1. As espécies adquiridas foram Mikania glomerata, Cymbopogon citratus, Equisetum arvense, Peumus boldus, Solanum paniculatum, Malva sylvestris, Piper umbellatun e Solidago microglossa. A citotoxicidade dos extratos foi avaliada na linhagem celular MDBK pelas alterações morfológicas das células e obtenção da concentração máxima não citotóxica (CMNC de cada planta. A atividade antiviral foi realizada com os extratos em suas respectivas CMNC e avaliada com base na redução do título viral e expressos em porcentagem de inibição. Os extratos aquosos de Peumus boldus e Solanum paniculatum apresentaram atividade antiviral sobre o SuHV-1 com 98% de inibição viral enquanto o de Peumus boldus inibiu apenas o BoHV-1 em 99%.This paper aims to find commercially available medicinal plants showing antiviral activity in vitro on suid and bovine herpesviruses. The following species were tested: Mikania glomerata, Cymbopogon citratus, Equisetum arvense, Peumus boldus, Solanum paniculatum, Malva sylvestris, Piper umbellatun and Solidago microglossa. The cytotoxicity was evaluated by morphological changes in cells determining the maximum not cytotoxic concentration (MNCC. The antiviral activity was evaluated by viral title reduction. The extracts from Peumus boldus and Solanum paniculatum showed antiviral activity against SuHV-1 with 98% of inhibition. The extract of Peumus boldus also showed activity against BoHV-1 with 99% of inhibition.

  16. Coxsackievirus cloverleaf RNA containing a 5' triphosphate triggers an antiviral response via RIG-I activation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Feng, Qian; Langereis, Martijn A; Olagnier, David; Chiang, Cindy; van de Winkel, Roel; van Essen, Peter; Zoll, Jan; Hiscott, John; van Kuppeveld, Frank J M

    2014-01-01

    Upon viral infections, pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and stimulate an antiviral state associated with the production of type I interferons (IFNs) and inflammatory markers. Type I IFNs play crucial roles in innate antiviral responses by

  17. Antiviral potential of medicinal plants against HIV, HSV, influenza, hepatitis, and coxsackievirus: A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akram, Muhammad; Tahir, Imtiaz Mahmood; Shah, Syed Muhammad Ali; Mahmood, Zahed; Altaf, Awais; Ahmad, Khalil; Munir, Naveed; Daniyal, Muhammad; Nasir, Suhaila; Mehboob, Huma

    2018-05-01

    Viral infections are being managed therapeutically through available antiviral regimens with unsatisfactory clinical outcomes. The refractory viral infections resistant to available antiviral drugs are alarming threats and a serious health concern. For viral hepatitis, the interferon and vaccine therapies solely are not ultimate solutions due to recurrence of hepatitis C virus. Owing to the growing incidences of viral infections and especially of resistant viral strains, the available therapeutic modalities need to be improved, complemented with the discovery of novel antiviral agents to combat refractory viral infections. It is widely accepted that medicinal plant heritage is nature gifted, precious, and fueled with the valuable resources for treatment of metabolic and infectious disorders. The aims of this review are to assemble the facts and to conclude the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants in the eradication and management of various viral diseases such as influenza, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), hepatitis, and coxsackievirus infections, which have been proven in diverse clinical studies. The articles, published in the English language since 1982 to 2017, were included from Web of Science, Cochrane Library, AMED, CISCOM, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Scopus, and PubMed by using relevant keywords including plants possessing antiviral activity, the antiviral effects of plants, and plants used in viral disorders. The scientific literature mainly focusing on plant extracts and herbal products with therapeutic efficacies against experimental models of influenza, HIV, HSV, hepatitis, and coxsackievirus were included in the study. Pure compounds possessing antiviral activity were excluded, and plants possessing activity against viruses other than viruses in inclusion criteria were excluded. Hundreds of plant extracts with antiviral effect were recognized. However, the data from only 36 families investigated through in vitro and in vivo

  18. In-vitro antiviral efficacy of ribavirin and interferon-alpha against canine distemper virus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carvalho, Otávio V; Saraiva, Giuliana L; Ferreira, Caroline G T; Felix, Daniele M; Fietto, Juliana L R; Bressan, Gustavo C; Almeida, Márcia R; Silva Júnior, Abelardo

    2014-10-01

    Canine distemper is a highly contagious disease with high incidence and lethality in the canine population. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of antiviral action with ribavirin (RBV), interferon-alpha (IFNα), and combinations of RBV and IFNα against canine distemper virus (CDV). Vero cells inoculated with CDV were treated with RBV, IFNα, and combinations of these drugs. The efficacy to inhibit viral replication was evaluated by adding the compounds at different times to determine which step of the viral replicative process was affected. Both drugs were effective against CDV in vitro. The IFNα was the most active compound, with an average IC50 (50% inhibitory concentration) value lower than the IC50 of the RBV. Ribavirin (RBV) was more selective than IFNα, however, and neither drug showed extracellular antiviral activity. The combination of RBV and IFNα exhibited antiviral activity for the intra- and extracellular stages of the replicative cycle of CDV, although the intracellular viral inhibition was higher. Both RBV and IFNα showed high antiviral efficacy against CDV, and furthermore, RBV + IFNα combinations have shown greater interference range in viral infectivity. These compounds could potentially be used to treat clinical disease associated with CDV infection.

  19. Developing antiviral surgical gown using nonwoven fabrics for ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    EB

    Developing antiviral surgical gown using nonwoven fabrics for health care sector. *Parthasarathi V, Thilagavathi G. Department of Fashion Technology, PSG college of Technology, Peelamedu, Coimbatore – 641 004,. India. Abstract. Background: Healthcare workers' uniforms including surgical gowns are used as barriers ...

  20. INVESTMENT IN ANTIVIRAL DRUGS : A REAL OPTIONS APPROACH

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Attema, Arthur E.; Lugner, Anna K.; Feenstra, Talitha L.

    2010-01-01

    Real options analysis is a promising approach to model investment under uncertainty. We employ this approach to value stockpiling of antiviral drugs as a precautionary measure against a possible influenza pandemic. Modifications of the real options approach to include risk attitude and deviations

  1. Cytotoxicity and antiviral activities of Asplenium nidus, Phaleria macrocarpa and Eleusine indica

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tahir, Mariya Mohd; Ibrahim, Nazlina; Yaacob, Wan Ahmad

    2014-09-01

    Three local medicinal plants namely Asplenium nidus (langsuyar), Eleusine indica (sambau) and Phaleria macrocarpa (mahkota dewa) were screened for the cytotoxicity and antiviral activities. Six plant extracts were prepared including the aqueous and methanol extracts from A. nidus leaf and root, aqueous extract from dried whole plant of E. indica and methanol extract from P. macrocarpa fruits. Cytotoxicity screening in Vero cell line by MTT assay showed that the CC50 values ranged from 15 to 60 mg/mL thus indicating the safety of the extracts even at high concentrations. Antiviral properties of the plant extracts were determined by plaque reduction assay. The EC50 concentrations were between 3.2 to 47 mg/mL. The selectivity indices (SI = CC50/EC50) of each tested extracts ranged from 4.3 to 63.25 indicating the usefulness of the extracts as potential antiviral agents.

  2. Aciclovir: nuevo antiviral

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Repetto

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available El aciclovir es un antiviral útil en infecciones graves causadas por el virus varicela-zoster. Es bien tolerado con escasas reacciones adversas. En pacientes deshidratados, en insuficiencia renal o si la infusión endovenosa es muy rápida, puede ocacionar una "nefropatía obstructiva" transitoria. Existen preparados de uso tópico, oftálmico, endovenoso y oral; esta última vía constituye una ventaja sobre la vidarabina con la que tiene en común el espectro de actividad. En razón de su selectividad, riesgo de resistencia y número reducido de antivirales, su prescripción debe restringirse a infecciones graves causadas por los agentes inmunodeprimidos; excluyendo por lo tanto las comunes y autolimitadas, frecuentes en el individuo normal.

  3. Stockpiling anti-viral drugs for a pandemic: the role of Manufacturer Reserve Programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harrington, Joseph E; Hsu, Edbert B

    2010-05-01

    To promote stockpiling of anti-viral drugs by non-government organizations such as hospitals, drug manufacturers have introduced Manufacturer Reserve Programs which, for an annual fee, provide the right to buy in the event of a severe outbreak of influenza. We show that these programs enhance drug manufacturer profits but could either increase or decrease the amount of pre-pandemic stockpiling of anti-viral drugs.

  4. Prolonged influenza virus shedding and emergence of antiviral resistance in immunocompromised patients and ferrets.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erhard van der Vries

    Full Text Available Immunocompromised individuals tend to suffer from influenza longer with more serious complications than otherwise healthy patients. Little is known about the impact of prolonged infection and the efficacy of antiviral therapy in these patients. Among all 189 influenza A virus infected immunocompromised patients admitted to ErasmusMC, 71 were hospitalized, since the start of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. We identified 11 (15% cases with prolonged 2009 pandemic virus replication (longer than 14 days, despite antiviral therapy. In 5 out of these 11 (45% cases oseltamivir resistant H275Y viruses emerged. Given the inherent difficulties in studying antiviral efficacy in immunocompromised patients, we have infected immunocompromised ferrets with either wild-type, or oseltamivir-resistant (H275Y 2009 pandemic virus. All ferrets showed prolonged virus shedding. In wild-type virus infected animals treated with oseltamivir, H275Y resistant variants emerged within a week after infection. Unexpectedly, oseltamivir therapy still proved to be partially protective in animals infected with resistant virus. Immunocompromised ferrets offer an attractive alternative to study efficacy of novel antiviral therapies.

  5. Triazole nucleoside derivatives bearing aryl functionalities on the nucleobases show antiviral and anticancer activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Yi; Qu, Fanqi; Peng, Ling

    2010-08-01

    Synthetic nucleoside mimics are important candidates in the searing for antiviral and anticancer drugs. Ribavirin, the first antiviral nucleoside drug, is unique in its antiviral activity with mutilple modes of action, which are mainly due to its special triazole heterocycle as nucleobase. Additionally, introducing aromatic functionalities to the nucleobase is able to confer novel mechanisms of action for nucleoside mimics. With the aim to combine the special characteristics of unnatural triazole heterocycles with those of the appended aromatic groups on the nucleobases, novel 1,2,4-triazole nucleoside analogs bearing aromatic moieties were designed and developed. The present short review summarizes the molecular design, chemical synthesis and biological activity of these triazole nucleoside analogs. Indeed, the discovery of antiviral and anticancer activities shown by these triazole nucleosides as well as the new mechanism underlying the biological activity by one of the anticancer leads has validated the rationale for molecular design and impacted us to further explore the concept with the aim of developing structurally novel nucleoside drug candidates with new modes of action.

  6. In vitro antiviral activity of chestnut and quebracho woods extracts against avian reovirus and metapneumovirus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lupini, C; Cecchinato, M; Scagliarini, A; Graziani, R; Catelli, E

    2009-12-01

    Field evidences have suggested that a natural extract, containing tannins, could be effective against poultry enteric viral infections. Moreover previous studies have shown that vegetable tannins can have antiviral activity against human viruses. Based on this knowledge three different Chestnut (Castanea spp.) wood extracts and one Quebracho (Schinopsis spp.) wood extract, all containing tannins and currently used in the animal feed industry, were tested for in vitro antiviral activity against avian reovirus (ARV) and avian metapneumovirus (AMPV). The MTT assay was used to evaluate the 50% cytotoxic compounds concentration (CC(50)) on Vero cells. The antiviral properties were tested before and after the adsorption of the viruses to Vero cells. Antiviral activities were expressed as IC(50) (concentration required to inhibit 50% of viral cytopathic effect). CC(50)s of tested compounds were > 200 microg/ml. All compounds had an extracellular antiviral effect against both ARV and AMPV with IC(50) values ranging from 25 to 66 microg/ml. Quebracho extract had also evident intracellular anti-ARV activity (IC(50) 24 microg/ml). These preliminary results suggest that the examined vegetable extracts might be good candidates in the control of some avian virus infections. Nevertheless further in vivo experiments are required to confirm these findings.

  7. Oral Immunization Against Candidiasis Using Lactobacillus casei Displaying Enolase 1 from Candida albicans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shibasaki, Seiji; Karasaki, Miki; Tafuku, Senji; Aoki, Wataru; Sewaki, Tomomitsu; Ueda, Mitsuyoshi

    2014-01-01

    Candidiasis is a common fungal infection that is prevalent in immunocompromised individuals. In this study, an oral vaccine against Candida albicans was developed by using the molecular display approach. Enolase 1 protein (Eno1p) of C. albicans was expressed on the Lactobacillus casei cell surface by using poly-gamma-glutamic acid synthetase complex A from Bacillus subtilis as an anchoring protein. The Eno1p-displaying L. casei cells were used to immunize mice, which were later challenged with a lethal dose of C. albicans. The data indicated that the vaccine elicited a strong IgG response and increased the survival rate of the vaccinated mice. Furthermore, L. casei acted as a potent adjuvant and induced high antibody titers that were comparable to those induced by strong adjuvants such as the cholera toxin. Overall, the molecular display method can be used to rapidly develop vaccines that can be conveniently administered and require minimal processing.

  8. Novel drugs targeting Toll-like receptors for antiviral therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Mira C; Shirey, Kari Ann; Pletneva, Lioubov M; Boukhvalova, Marina S; Garzino-Demo, Alfredo; Vogel, Stefanie N; Blanco, Jorge Cg

    2014-09-01

    Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are sentinel receptors of the host innate immune system that recognize conserved 'pathogen-associated molecular patterns' of invading microbes, including viruses. The activation of TLRs establishes antiviral innate immune responses and coordinates the development of long-lasting adaptive immunity in order to control viral pathogenesis. However, microbe-induced damage to host tissues may release 'danger-associated molecular patterns' that also activate TLRs, leading to an overexuberant inflammatory response and, ultimately, to tissue damage. Thus, TLRs have proven to be promising targets as therapeutics for the treatment of viral infections that result in inflammatory damage or as adjuvants in order to enhance the efficacy of vaccines. Here, we explore recent advances in TLR biology with a focus on novel drugs that target TLRs (agonists and antagonists) for antiviral therapy.

  9. Structure Properties and Mechanisms of Action of Naturally Originated Phenolic Acids and Their Derivatives against Human Viral Infections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Yi-Hang; Zhang, Bing-Yi; Qiu, Li-Peng; Guan, Rong-Fa; Ye, Zi-Hong; Yu, Xiao-Ping

    2017-01-01

    A great effort has been made to develop efficacious antiviral drugs, but many viral infections are still lack of efficient antiviral therapies so far. The related exploration of natural products to fight viruses has been raised in recent years. Natural compounds with structural diversity and complexity offer a great chance to find new antiviral agents. Particularly, phenolic acids have attracted considerable attention owing to their potent antiviral abilities and unique mechanisms. The aim of this review is to report new discoveries and updates pertaining to antiviral phenolic acids. The relevant references on natural phenolic acids were searched. The antiviral phenolic acids were classified according to their structural properties and antiviral types. Meanwhile, the antiviral characteristics and structure-activity relationships of phenolic acids and their derivatives were summarized. The review finds that natural phenolic acids and their derivatives possessed potent inhibitory effects on multiple virus in humans such as human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B virus, herpes simplex virus, influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus. In particular, caffeic acid/gallic acid and their derivatives exhibited outstanding antiviral properties by a variety of modes of action. Naturally derived phenolic acids especially caffeic acid/gallic acid and their derivatives may be regarded as novel promising antiviral leads or candidates. Additionally, scarcely any of these compounds has been used as antiviral treatment in clinical practice. Therefore, these phenolic acids with diverse skeletons and mechanisms provide us an excellent resource for finding novel antiviral drugs. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  10. Arbidol (Umifenovir): A broad-spectrum antiviral drug that inhibits medically important arthropod-borne flaviviruses

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Haviernik, J.; Štefánik, M.; Fojtíková, M.; Kali, S.; Tordo, N.; Rudolf, Ivo; Hubálek, Zdeněk; Eyer, Luděk; Růžek, Daniel

    2018-01-01

    Roč. 10, č. 4 (2018), č. článku 184. ISSN 1999-4915 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA16-20054S Institutional support: RVO:68081766 ; RVO:60077344 Keywords : Antiviral activity * Arbidol * Cell-type dependent antiviral effect * Cytotoxicity * Flavivirus * Umifenovir Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology OBOR OECD: Virology Impact factor: 3.465, year: 2016

  11. Human Galectin-9 Is a Potent Mediator of HIV Transcription and Reactivation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed Abdel-Mohsen

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Identifying host immune determinants governing HIV transcription, latency and infectivity in vivo is critical to developing an HIV cure. Based on our recent finding that the host factor p21 regulates HIV transcription during antiretroviral therapy (ART, and published data demonstrating that the human carbohydrate-binding immunomodulatory protein galectin-9 regulates p21, we hypothesized that galectin-9 modulates HIV transcription. We report that the administration of a recombinant, stable form of galectin-9 (rGal-9 potently reverses HIV latency in vitro in the J-Lat HIV latency model. Furthermore, rGal-9 reverses HIV latency ex vivo in primary CD4+ T cells from HIV-infected, ART-suppressed individuals (p = 0.002, more potently than vorinostat (p = 0.02. rGal-9 co-administration with the latency reversal agent "JQ1", a bromodomain inhibitor, exhibits synergistic activity (p<0.05. rGal-9 signals through N-linked oligosaccharides and O-linked hexasaccharides on the T cell surface, modulating the gene expression levels of key transcription initiation, promoter proximal-pausing, and chromatin remodeling factors that regulate HIV latency. Beyond latent viral reactivation, rGal-9 induces robust expression of the host antiviral deaminase APOBEC3G in vitro and ex vivo (FDR<0.006 and significantly reduces infectivity of progeny virus, decreasing the probability that the HIV reservoir will be replenished when latency is reversed therapeutically. Lastly, endogenous levels of soluble galectin-9 in the plasma of 72 HIV-infected ART-suppressed individuals were associated with levels of HIV RNA in CD4+ T cells (p<0.02 and with the quantity and binding avidity of circulating anti-HIV antibodies (p<0.009, suggesting a role of galectin-9 in regulating HIV transcription and viral production in vivo during therapy. Our data suggest that galectin-9 and the host glycosylation machinery should be explored as foundations for novel HIV cure strategies.

  12. Antiviral Efficacy of Verdinexor In Vivo in Two Animal Models of Influenza A Virus Infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perwitasari, Olivia; Johnson, Scott; Yan, Xiuzhen; Register, Emery; Crabtree, Jackelyn; Gabbard, Jon; Howerth, Elizabeth; Shacham, Sharon; Carlson, Robert; Tamir, Sharon; Tripp, Ralph A.

    2016-01-01

    Influenza A virus (IAV) causes seasonal epidemics of respiratory illness that can cause mild to severe illness and potentially death. Antiviral drugs are an important countermeasure against IAV; however, drug resistance has developed, thus new therapeutic approaches are being sought. Previously, we demonstrated the antiviral activity of a novel nuclear export inhibitor drug, verdinexor, to reduce influenza replication in vitro and pulmonary virus burden in mice. In this study, in vivo efficacy of verdinexor was further evaluated in two animal models or influenza virus infection, mice and ferrets. In mice, verdinexor was efficacious to limit virus shedding, reduce pulmonary pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, and moderate leukocyte infiltration into the bronchoalveolar space. Similarly, verdinexor-treated ferrets had reduced lung pathology, virus burden, and inflammatory cytokine expression in the nasal wash exudate. These findings support the anti-viral efficacy of verdinexor, and warrant its development as a novel antiviral therapeutic for influenza infection. PMID:27893810

  13. Antiviral Efficacy of Verdinexor In Vivo in Two Animal Models of Influenza A Virus Infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olivia Perwitasari

    Full Text Available Influenza A virus (IAV causes seasonal epidemics of respiratory illness that can cause mild to severe illness and potentially death. Antiviral drugs are an important countermeasure against IAV; however, drug resistance has developed, thus new therapeutic approaches are being sought. Previously, we demonstrated the antiviral activity of a novel nuclear export inhibitor drug, verdinexor, to reduce influenza replication in vitro and pulmonary virus burden in mice. In this study, in vivo efficacy of verdinexor was further evaluated in two animal models or influenza virus infection, mice and ferrets. In mice, verdinexor was efficacious to limit virus shedding, reduce pulmonary pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, and moderate leukocyte infiltration into the bronchoalveolar space. Similarly, verdinexor-treated ferrets had reduced lung pathology, virus burden, and inflammatory cytokine expression in the nasal wash exudate. These findings support the anti-viral efficacy of verdinexor, and warrant its development as a novel antiviral therapeutic for influenza infection.

  14. Impact of a new reimbursement program on hepatitis B antiviral medication cost and utilization in Beijing, China.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qian Qiu

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus (HBV infection is a significant clinical and financial burden for chronic hepatitis B (CHB patients. In Beijing, China, partial reimbursement on antiviral agents was first implemented for the treatment of CHB patients in July 1, 2011. AIMS: In this study, we describe the medical cost and utilization rates of antiviral therapy for CHB patients to explore the impact of the new partial reimbursement policy on the medical care cost, the composition, and antivirals utilization. METHODS: Clinical and claims data of a retrospective cohort of 92,776 outpatients and 2,774 inpatients with non-cirrhotic CHB were retrieved and analyzed from You'an Hospital, Beijing between February 14, 2008 and December 31, 2012. The propensity score matching was used to adjust factors associated with the annual total cost, including age, gender, medical insurance type and treatment indicator. RESULTS: Compared to patients who paid out-of-pocket, medical cost, especially antiviral costs increased greater among patients with medical insurance after July 1, 2011, the start date of reimbursement policy. Outpatients with medical insurance had 16% more antiviral utilization; usage increased 3% among those who paid out-of-pocket after the new partial reimbursement policy was implemented. CONCLUSIONS: Direct medical costs and antiviral utilization rates of CHB patients with medical insurance were higher than those from paid out-of-pocket payments, even after adjusting for inflation and other factors. Thus, a new partial reimbursement program may positively optimize the cost and standardization of antiviral treatment.

  15. Preemptive antiviral therapy with entecavir can reduce acute deterioration of hepatic function following transarterial chemoembolization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sun Hong Yoo

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aims Hepatic damage during transarterial chemoembolization (TACE is a critical complication in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC. Apart from its role in preventing HBV reactivation, there is some evidence for the benefits of preemptive antiviral therapy in TACE. This study evaluated the effect of preemptive antiviral therapy on acute hepatic deterioration following TACE. Methods This retrospective observational study included a prospectively collected cohort of 108 patients with HBV-related HCC who underwent TACE between January 2007 and January 2013. Acute hepatic deterioration following TACE was evaluated. Treatment-related hepatic decompensation was defined as newly developed encephalopathy, ascites, variceal bleeding, elevation of the bilirubin level, prolongation of prothrombin time, or elevation of the Child-Pugh score by ≥2 within 2 weeks following TACE. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify factors influencing treatment-related decompensation. Preemptive antiviral therapy involves directing prophylaxis only toward high-risk chronic hepatitis B patients in an attempt to prevent the progression of liver disease. We regarded at least 6 months as a significant duration of preemptive antiviral treatment before diagnosis of HCC. Results Of the 108 patients, 30 (27.8% patients received preemptive antiviral therapy. Treatment-related decompensation was observed in 25 (23.1% patients during the follow-up period. Treatment-related decompensation following TACE was observed more frequently in the nonpreemptive group than in the preemptive group (29.5% vs. 6.7%, P=0.008. In the multivariate analysis, higher serum total bilirubin (Hazard ratio [HR] =3.425, P=0.013, hypoalbuminemia (HR=3.990, P=0.015, and absence of antiviral therapy (HR=7.597, P=0.006 were significantly associated with treatment-related hepatic decompensation. Conclusions Our findings suggest that

  16. Arbidol: a broad-spectrum antiviral that inhibits acute and chronic HCV infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pécheur Eve-Isabelle

    2006-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Arbidol (ARB is an antiviral compound that was originally proven effective for treatment of influenza and several other respiratory viral infections. The broad spectrum of ARB anti-viral activity led us to evaluate its effect on hepatitis C virus (HCV infection and replication in cell culture. Long-term ARB treatment of Huh7 cells chronically replicating a genomic length genotype 1b replicon resulted in sustained reduction of viral RNA and protein expression, and eventually cured HCV infected cells. Pre-treatment of human hepatoma Huh7.5.1 cells with 15 μM ARB for 24 to 48 hours inhibited acute infection with JFH-1 virus by up to 1000-fold. The inhibitory effect of ARB on HCV was not due to generalized cytotoxicity, nor to augmentation of IFN antiviral signaling pathways, but involved impaired virus-mediated membrane fusion. ARB's affinity for membranes may inhibit several aspects of the HCV lifecycle that are membrane-dependent.

  17. Alisporivir Has Limited Antiviral Effects Against Ebola Virus Strains Makona and Mayinga.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiramel, Abhilash I; Banadyga, Logan; Dougherty, Jonathan D; Falzarano, Darryl; Martellaro, Cynthia; Brees, Dominique; Taylor, R Travis; Ebihara, Hideki; Best, Sonja M

    2016-10-15

    Antiviral therapeutics with existing clinical safety profiles would be highly desirable in an outbreak situation, such as the 2013-2016 emergence of Ebola virus (EBOV) in West Africa. Although, the World Health Organization declared the end of the outbreak early 2016, sporadic cases of EBOV infection have since been reported. Alisporivir is the most clinically advanced broad-spectrum antiviral that functions by targeting a host protein, cyclophilin A (CypA). A modest antiviral effect of alisporivir against contemporary (Makona) but not historical (Mayinga) EBOV strains was observed in tissue culture. However, this effect was not comparable to observations for an alisporivir-susceptible virus, the flavivirus tick-borne encephalitis virus. Thus, EBOV does not depend on (CypA) for replication, in contrast to many other viruses pathogenic to humans. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2016. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

  18. Divergent antiviral effects of bioflavonoids on the hepatitis C virus life cycle

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Khachatoorian, Ronik, E-mail: RnKhch@ucla.edu [Molecular Biology Interdepartmental Ph.D. Program (MBIDP), Molecular Biology Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, California, CA (United States); Molecular Biology Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, California, CA (United States); Arumugaswami, Vaithilingaraja, E-mail: VArumugaswami@mednet.ucla.edu [Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, California, CA (United States); Department of Surgery, Regenerative Medicine Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, CA (United States); Raychaudhuri, Santanu, E-mail: SRaychau@ucla.edu [Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, California, CA (United States); Yeh, George K., E-mail: GgYeh@ucla.edu [Molecular Biology Interdepartmental Ph.D. Program (MBIDP), Molecular Biology Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, California, CA (United States); Molecular Biology Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, California, CA (United States); Maloney, Eden M., E-mail: EMaloney@ucla.edu [Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, CA (United States); Wang, Julie, E-mail: JulieW1521@ucla.edu [Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, California, CA (United States); and others

    2012-11-25

    We have previously demonstrated that quercetin, a bioflavonoid, blocks hepatitis C virus (HCV) proliferation by inhibiting NS5A-driven internal ribosomal entry site (IRES)-mediated translation of the viral genome. Here, we investigate the mechanisms of antiviral activity of quercetin and six additional bioflavonoids. We demonstrate that catechin, naringenin, and quercetin possess significant antiviral activity, with no associated cytotoxicity. Infectious virion secretion was not significantly altered by these bioflavonoids. Catechin and naringenin demonstrated stronger inhibition of infectious virion assembly compared to quercetin. Quercetin markedly blocked viral translation whereas catechin and naringenin demonstrated mild activity. Similarly quercetin completely blocked NS5A-augmented IRES-mediated translation in an IRES reporter assay, whereas catechin and naringenin had only a mild effect. Moreover, quercetin differentially inhibited HSP70 induction compared to catechin and naringenin. Thus, the antiviral activity of these bioflavonoids is mediated through different mechanisms. Therefore combination of these bioflavonoids may act synergistically against HCV.

  19. CRISPR-Cas Targeting of Host Genes as an Antiviral Strategy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Shuliang; Yu, Xiao; Guo, Deyin

    2018-01-16

    Currently, a new gene editing tool-the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) associated (Cas) system-is becoming a promising approach for genetic manipulation at the genomic level. This simple method, originating from the adaptive immune defense system in prokaryotes, has been developed and applied to antiviral research in humans. Based on the characteristics of virus-host interactions and the basic rules of nucleic acid cleavage or gene activation of the CRISPR-Cas system, it can be used to target both the virus genome and host factors to clear viral reservoirs and prohibit virus infection or replication. Here, we summarize recent progress of the CRISPR-Cas technology in editing host genes as an antiviral strategy.

  20. Efficacy and safety of direct-acting antivirals-based antiviral therapies for hepatitis C virus patients with stage 4-5 chronic kidney disease: a meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Tao; Qu, Yundong; Guo, Ying; Wang, Yan; Wang, Lei

    2017-07-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of direct-acting antivirals (DAA)-based antiviral therapies for HCV patients with stage 4-5 chronic kidney disease. We conducted a systematic literature search in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and CENTRAL on the Cochrane Library without time and language limitations. The search strategy used was "(End stage renal disease OR chronic kidney failure OR severe renal impairment OR chronic kidney disease OR dialysis) AND (sofosbuvir OR simeprevir OR grazoprevir OR elbasvir OR ombitasvir OR paritaprevir OR ritonavir OR dasabuvir OR daclatasvir OR asuparevir OR direct-acting antiviral OR DAA)". Sustained virologic response at 12 weeks after the end of treatment (SVR12), adverse events (AEs) and/or serious adverse events (SAEs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were pooled. Eleven studies, comprising a total of 264 patients were included for our meta-analysis. The pooled SVR12 rate were 93.2% (95% CI 89.9%-95.9%, I 2 =0.0%), 89.4% (95% CI 82.0%-95.0%, I 2 =0.0%) and 94.7% (95% CI 91.0%-97.5%, I 2 =0.0%) in total population, patients with sofosbuvir-based therapies and patients with non-sofosbuvir-based therapies respectively. For HCV genotype 1 patients, the pooled SVR12 rate was 93.1% (95% CI 88.3%-96.7%, I 2 =20.0%). The pooled incidence of SAEs was 12.1% (95% CI 6.2%-19.7%, I 2 =55.0%). The pooled discontinuation rate because of AEs or SAEs in our meta-analysis was 2.2% (95% CI 0.8%-4.4%, I 2 =0.0%). DAA-based antiviral therapies are effective and well-tolerated for HCV patients with stage 4-5 chronic kidney disease. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. A molecular arms race between host innate antiviral response and emerging human coronaviruses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Lok-Yin Roy; Lui, Pak-Yin; Jin, Dong-Yan

    2016-02-01

    Coronaviruses have been closely related with mankind for thousands of years. Community-acquired human coronaviruses have long been recognized to cause common cold. However, zoonotic coronaviruses are now becoming more a global concern with the discovery of highly pathogenic severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronaviruses causing severe respiratory diseases. Infections by these emerging human coronaviruses are characterized by less robust interferon production. Treatment of patients with recombinant interferon regimen promises beneficial outcomes, suggesting that compromised interferon expression might contribute at least partially to the severity of disease. The mechanisms by which coronaviruses evade host innate antiviral response are under intense investigations. This review focuses on the fierce arms race between host innate antiviral immunity and emerging human coronaviruses. Particularly, the host pathogen recognition receptors and the signal transduction pathways to mount an effective antiviral response against SARS and MERS coronavirus infection are discussed. On the other hand, the counter-measures evolved by SARS and MERS coronaviruses to circumvent host defense are also dissected. With a better understanding of the dynamic interaction between host and coronaviruses, it is hoped that insights on the pathogenesis of newly-identified highly pathogenic human coronaviruses and new strategies in antiviral development can be derived.

  2. Identification, Characterization, and Recombinant Expression of Epidermicin NI01, a Novel Unmodified Bacteriocin Produced by Staphylococcus epidermidis That Displays Potent Activity against Staphylococci

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandiford, Stephanie

    2012-01-01

    We describe the discovery, purification, characterization, and expression of an antimicrobial peptide, epidermicin NI01, which is an unmodified bacteriocin produced by Staphylococcus epidermidis strain 224. It is a highly cationic, hydrophobic, plasmid-encoded peptide that exhibits potent antimicrobial activity toward a wide range of pathogenic Gram-positive bacteria including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), enterococci, and biofilm-forming S. epidermidis strains. Purification of the peptide was achieved using a combination of hydrophobic interaction, cation exchange, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight (MALDI-TOF) analysis yielded a molecular mass of 6,074 Da, and partial sequence data of the peptide were elucidated using a combination of tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and de novo sequencing. The draft genome sequence of the producing strain was obtained using 454 pyrosequencing technology, thus enabling the identification of the structural gene using the de novo peptide sequence data previously obtained. Epidermicin NI01 contains 51 residues with four tryptophan and nine lysine residues, and the sequence showed approximately 50% identity to peptides lacticin Z, lacticin Q, and aureocin A53, all of which belong to a new family of unmodified type II-like bacteriocins. The peptide is active in the nanomolar range against S. epidermidis, MRSA isolates, and vancomycin-resistant enterococci. Other unique features displayed by epidermicin include a high degree of protease stability and the ability to retain antimicrobial activity over a pH range of 2 to 10, and exposure to the peptide does not result in development of resistance in susceptible isolates. In this study we also show the structural gene alone can be cloned into Escherichia coli strain BL21(DE3), and expression yields active peptide. PMID:22155816

  3. Phytochemical screening, cytotoxicity and antiviral activity of hexane fraction of Phaleria macrocarpa fruits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ismaeel, Mahmud Yusef Yusef; Yaacob, Wan Ahmad; Tahir, Mariya Mohd.; Ibrahim, Nazlina

    2015-09-01

    Phaleria macrocarpa fruits have been widely used in the traditional medicine for the treatment of several infections. The current study was done to determine the phytochemical content, cytotoxicity and antiviral activity of the hexane fraction (HF) of P. macrocarpa fruits. In the hexane fraction of P. macarocarpa fruits, phytochemical screening showed the presence of terpenoids whereas saponins, alkaloids, tannins and anthraquinones were not present. Evaluation on Vero cell lines by using MTT assay showed that the 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50) value was 0.48 mg/mL indicating that the fraction is not cytotoxic. Antiviral properties of the plant extracts were determined by plaque reduction assay. The effective concentration (EC50) was 0.18 mg/mL. Whereas the selective index (SI = CC50/EC50) of hexane fraction is 2.6 indicating low to moderate potential as antiviral agent.

  4. DMPD: TLR3 in antiviral immunity: key player or bystander? [Dynamic Macrophage Pathway CSML Database

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available 16027039 TLR3 in antiviral immunity: key player or bystander? Schroder M, Bowie AG.... Trends Immunol. 2005 Sep;26(9):462-8. (.png) (.svg) (.html) (.csml) Show TLR3 in antiviral immunity: key player... or bystander? PubmedID 16027039 Title TLR3 in antiviral immunity: key player or bystander? Authors Schr... File (.png) SVG File (.svg) HTML File (.html) CSML File (.csml) Open .csml file with CIOPlayer Open .csml file with CIOPlayer... - ※CIO Playerのご利用上の注意 Open .csml file with CIO Open .csml file with CIO - ※CIOのご利用上の注意 ...

  5. Novel pandemic influenza A(H1N1 viruses are potently inhibited by DAS181, a sialidase fusion protein.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gallen B Triana-Baltzer

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available The recent emergence of a novel pandemic influenza A(H1N1 strain in humans exemplifies the rapid and unpredictable nature of influenza virus evolution and the need for effective therapeutics and vaccines to control such outbreaks. However, resistance to antivirals can be a formidable problem as evidenced by the currently widespread oseltamivir- and adamantane-resistant seasonal influenza A viruses (IFV. Additional antiviral approaches with novel mechanisms of action are needed to combat novel and resistant influenza strains. DAS181 (Fludase is a sialidase fusion protein in early clinical development with in vitro and in vivo preclinical activity against a variety of seasonal influenza strains and highly pathogenic avian influenza strains (A/H5N1. Here, we use in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo models to evaluate the activity of DAS181 against several pandemic influenza A(H1N1 viruses.The activity of DAS181 against several pandemic influenza A(H1N1 virus isolates was examined in MDCK cells, differentiated primary human respiratory tract culture, ex-vivo human bronchi tissue and mice. DAS181 efficiently inhibited viral replication in each of these models and against all tested pandemic influenza A(H1N1 strains. DAS181 treatment also protected mice from pandemic influenza A(H1N1-induced pathogenesis. Furthermore, DAS181 antiviral activity against pandemic influenza A(H1N1 strains was comparable to that observed against seasonal influenza virus including the H274Y oseltamivir-resistant influenza virus.The sialidase fusion protein DAS181 exhibits potent inhibitory activity against pandemic influenza A(H1N1 viruses. As inhibition was also observed with oseltamivir-resistant IFV (H274Y, DAS181 may be active against the antigenically novel pandemic influenza A(H1N1 virus should it acquire the H274Y mutation. Based on these and previous results demonstrating DAS181 broad-spectrum anti-IFV activity, DAS181 represents a potential therapeutic agent for

  6. NaVirCept - Nucleic Acid-Based Anti-Viral Project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stephen, E. R.; Wong, J.; Van Loon, D.

    2007-01-01

    Vaccines are generally considered to be the most effective countermeasures to bacterial and viral diseases, however, licensed vaccines against many disease agents are either not available or their efficacies have not been demonstrated. Vaccines are generally agent specific in terms of treatment spectrum and are subject to defeat through natural mutation or through directed efforts. With respect to viral therapeutics, one of the major limitations associated with antiviral drugs is acquired drug resistance caused by antigenic shift or drift. A number of next-generation prophylactic and/or therapeutic measures are on the horizon. Of these, nucleic acid-based drugs are showing great antiviral potential. These drugs elicit long-lasting, broad spectrum protective immune responses, especially to respiratory viral pathogens. The Nucleic Acid-Based Antiviral (NaVirCept) project provides the opportunity to demonstrate the effectiveness of novel medical countermeasures against military-significant endemic and other viral threat agents. This project expands existing DRDC drug delivery capability development, in the form of proprietary liposome intellectual property, by coupling it with leading-edge nucleic acid-based technology to deliver effective medical countermeasures that will protect deployed personnel and the warfighter against a spectrum of viral disease agents. The technology pathway will offer a means to combat emerging viral diseases or modified threat agents such as the bird flu or reconstructed Spanish flu without going down the laborious, time-consuming and expensive paths to develop countermeasures for each new and/or emerging viral disease organism.(author)

  7. In vitro characterization of the antiviral activity of fucoidan from Cladosiphon okamuranus against Newcastle Disease Virus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elizondo-Gonzalez Regina

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV causes a serious infectious disease in birds that results in severe losses in the worldwide poultry industry. Despite vaccination, NDV outbreaks have increased the necessity of alternative prevention and control measures. Several recent studies focused on antiviral compounds obtained from natural resources. Many extracts from marine organisms have been isolated and tested for pharmacological purposes, and their antiviral activity has been demonstrated in vitro and in vivo. Fucoidan is a sulfated polysaccharide present in the cell wall matrix of brown algae that has been demonstrated to inhibit certain enveloped viruses with low toxicity. This study evaluated the potential antiviral activity and the mechanism of action of fucoidan from Cladosiphon okamuranus against NDV in the Vero cell line. Methods The cytotoxicity of fucoidan was determined by the MTT assay. To study its antiviral activity, fusion and plaque-forming unit (PFU inhibition assays were conducted. The mechanism of action was determined by time of addition, fusion inhibition, and penetration assays. The NDV vaccine strain (La Sota was used in the fusion inhibition assays. PFU and Western blot experiments were performed using a wild-type lentogenic NDV strain. Results Fucoidan exhibited antiviral activity against NDV La Sota, with an obtained IS50 >2000. In time of addition studies, we observed viral inhibition in the early stages of infection (0–60 min post-infection. The inhibition of viral penetration experiments with a wild-type NDV strain supported this result, as these experiments demonstrated a 48% decrease in viral infection as well as reduced HN protein expression. Ribavirin, which was used as an antiviral control, exhibited lower antiviral activity than fucoidan and high toxicity at active doses. In the fusion assays, the number of syncytia was significantly reduced (70% inhibition when fucoidan was added before cleavage of

  8. Potential of acylated peptides to target the influenza A virus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Lauster

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available For antiviral drug design, especially in the field of influenza virus research, potent multivalent inhibitors raise high expectations for combating epidemics and pandemics. Among a large variety of covalent and non-covalent scaffold systems for a multivalent display of inhibitors, we created a simple supramolecular platform to enhance the antiviral effect of our recently developed antiviral Peptide B (PeBGF, preventing binding of influenza virus to the host cell. By conjugating the peptide with stearic acid to create a higher-order structure with a multivalent display, we could significantly enhance the inhibitory effect against the serotypes of both human pathogenic influenza virus A/Aichi/2/1968 H3N2, and avian pathogenic A/FPV/Rostock/34 H7N1 in the hemagglutination inhibition assay. Further, the inhibitory potential of stearylated PeBGF (C18-PeBGF was investigated by infection inhibition assays, in which we achieved low micromolar inhibition constants against both viral strains. In addition, we compared C18-PeBGF to other published amphiphilic peptide inhibitors, such as the stearylated sugar receptor mimicking peptide (Matsubara et al. 2010, and the “Entry Blocker” (EB (Jones et al. 2006, with respect to their antiviral activity against infection by Influenza A Virus (IAV H3N2. However, while this strategy seems at a first glance promising, the native situation is quite different from our experimental model settings. First, we found a strong potential of those peptides to form large amyloid-like supramolecular assemblies. Second, in vivo, the large excess of cell surface membranes provides an unspecific target for the stearylated peptides. We show that acylated peptides insert into the lipid phase of such membranes. Eventually, our study reveals serious limitations of this type of self-assembling IAV inhibitors.

  9. Developing antiviral surgical gown using nonwoven fabrics for ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objectives: To develop antiviral surgical gown comprising of Polypropylene nonwoven as outer layer, Polytetrafluroethylene (PTFE) film as middle layer and polyester nonwoven as inner layer and the surgical gown with a basic weight of 70 g/m2. Methods: The titanium dioxide (TiO2) nano dispersion was prepared with ...

  10. Antiviral Resistance to Influenza Viruses: Clinical and Epidemiological Aspects

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Vries, E.

    2017-01-01

    There are three classes of antiviral drugs approved for the treatment of influenza: the M2 ion channel inhibitors (amantadine, rimantadine), neuraminidase (NA) inhibitors (laninamivir, oseltamivir, peramivir, zanamivir), and the protease inhibitor (favipiravir); some of the agents are only available

  11. Multivalent display of proteins on viral nanoparticles using molecular recognition and chemical ligation strategies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venter, P. Arno; Dirksen, Anouk; Thomas, Diane; Manchester, Marianne; Dawson, Philip E.; Schneemann, Anette

    2011-01-01

    Multivalent display of heterologous proteins on viral nanoparticles forms a basis for numerous applications in nanotechnology, including vaccine development, targeted therapeutic delivery and tissue-specific bio-imaging. In many instances, precise placement of proteins is required for optimal functioning of the supramolecular assemblies, but orientation- and site-specific coupling of proteins to viral scaffolds remains a significant technical challenge. We have developed two strategies that allow for controlled attachment of a variety of proteins on viral particles using covalent and noncovalent principles. In one strategy, an interaction between domain 4 of anthrax protective antigen and its receptor was used to display multiple copies of a target protein on virus-like particles. In the other, expressed protein ligation and aniline-catalyzed oximation was used to covalently display a model protein. The latter strategy, in particular, yielded nanoparticles that induced potent immune responses to the coupled protein, suggesting potential applications in vaccine development. PMID:21545187

  12. Antiviral evaluation of an Hsp90 inhibitor, gedunin, against dengue ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Further, in silico molecular docking data revealed strong interaction of gedunin with the ATP/ADP ... Keywords: Dengue virus replication, Hsp90, Gedunin, Antiviral, Molecular docking ..... Conformational dynamics of the molecular chaperone.

  13. Tannic acid modified silver nanoparticles show antiviral activity in herpes simplex virus type 2 infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Piotr Orlowski

    Full Text Available The interaction between silver nanoparticles and herpesviruses is attracting great interest due to their antiviral activity and possibility to use as microbicides for oral and anogenital herpes. In this work, we demonstrate that tannic acid modified silver nanoparticles sized 13 nm, 33 nm and 46 nm are capable of reducing HSV-2 infectivity both in vitro and in vivo. The antiviral activity of tannic acid modified silver nanoparticles was size-related, required direct interaction and blocked virus attachment, penetration and further spread. All tested tannic acid modified silver nanoparticles reduced both infection and inflammatory reaction in the mouse model of HSV-2 infection when used at infection or for a post-infection treatment. Smaller-sized nanoparticles induced production of cytokines and chemokines important for anti-viral response. The corresponding control buffers with tannic acid showed inferior antiviral effects in vitro and were ineffective in blocking in vivo infection. Our results show that tannic acid modified silver nanoparticles are good candidates for microbicides used in treatment of herpesvirus infections.

  14. Antiviral acyclic nucleoside phosphonates: New structures and prodrugs

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Krečmerová, Marcela; Tichý, Tomáš; Pomeisl, Karel; Andrei, G.; Balzarini, J.; Snoeck, R.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 1, č. 2 (2016), s. 37 [PharmaMed-2016. International Conference on Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry . 05.12.2016-07.12.2016, Dubai] R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-00522S Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : acyclic nucleoside phosphonates * prodrugs * antivirals * 5-azacytosine Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry

  15. Enzymatically Active APOBEC3G Is Required for Efficient Inhibition of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1▿

    OpenAIRE

    Miyagi, Eri; Opi, Sandrine; Takeuchi, Hiroaki; Khan, Mohammad; Goila-Gaur, Ritu; Kao, Sandra; Strebel, Klaus

    2007-01-01

    APOBEC3G (APO3G) is a cellular cytidine deaminase with potent antiviral activity. Initial studies of the function of APO3G demonstrated extensive mutation of the viral genome, suggesting a model in which APO3G's antiviral activity is due to hypermutation of the viral genome. Recent studies, however, found that deaminase-defective APO3G mutants transiently expressed in virus-producing cells exhibited significant antiviral activity, suggesting that the antiviral activity of APO3G could be disso...

  16. Protective Effect of Panax notoginseng Root Water Extract against Influenza A Virus Infection by Enhancing Antiviral Interferon-Mediated Immune Responses and Natural Killer Cell Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jang-Gi Choi

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Influenza is an acute respiratory illness caused by the influenza A virus, which causes economic losses and social disruption mainly by increasing hospitalization and mortality rates among the elderly and people with chronic diseases. Influenza vaccines are the most effective means of preventing seasonal influenza, but can be completely ineffective if there is an antigenic mismatch between the seasonal vaccine virus and the virus circulating in the community. In addition, influenza viruses resistant to antiviral drugs are emerging worldwide. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop new vaccines and antiviral drugs against these viruses. In this study, we conducted in vitro and in vivo analyses of the antiviral effect of Panax notoginseng root (PNR, which is used as an herbal medicine and nutritional supplement in Korea and China. We confirmed that PNR significantly prevented influenza virus infection in a concentration-dependent manner in mouse macrophages. In addition, PNR pretreatment inhibited viral protein (PB1, PB2, HA, NA, M1, PA, M2, and NP and viral mRNA (NS1, HA, PB2, PA, NP, M1, and M2 expression. PNR pretreatment also increased the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 6] and interferon (IFN-beta and the phosphorylation of type-I IFN-related proteins (TANK-binding kinase 1, STAT1, and IRF3 in vitro. In mice exposed to the influenza A H1N1 virus, PNR treatment decreased mortality by 90% and prevented weight loss (by approximately 10% compared with the findings in untreated animals. In addition, splenocytes from PNR-administered mice displayed significantly enhanced natural killer (NK cell activity against YAC-1 cells. Taking these findings together, PNR stimulates an antiviral response in murine macrophages and mice that protects against viral infection, which may be attributable to its ability to stimulate NK cell activity. Further investigations are needed to reveal the molecular

  17. Antiviral activity of ovine interferon tau 4 against foot-and-mouth disease virus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Usharani, Jayaramaiah; Park, Sun Young; Cho, Eun-Ju; Kim, Chungsu; Ko, Young-Joon; Tark, Dongseob; Kim, Su-Mi; Park, Jong-Hyeon; Lee, Kwang-Nyeong; Lee, Myoung-Heon; Lee, Hyang-Sim

    2017-07-01

    Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is an economically important disease in most parts of the world and new therapeutic agents are needed to protect the animals before vaccination can trigger the host immune response. Although several interferons have been used for their antiviral activities against Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), ovine interferon tau 4 (OvIFN-τ4), with a broad-spectrum of action, cross-species antiviral activity, and lower incidence of toxicity in comparison to other type І interferons, has not yet been evaluated for this indication. This is the first study to evaluate the antiviral activity of OvIFN-τ4 against various strains of FMDV. The effective anti-cytopathic concentration of OvIFN-τ4 and its effectiveness pre- and post-infection with FMDV were tested in vitro in LFBK cells. In vivo activity of OvIFN-τ4 was then confirmed in a mouse model of infection. OvIFN-τ4 at a concentration of 500 ng, protected mice until 5days post-FMDV challenge and provided 90% protection for 10 days following FMDV challenge. These results suggest that OvIFN-τ4 could be used as an alternative to other interferons or antiviral agents at the time of FMD outbreak. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  18. Molecular Mechanisms of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Targeting the Host Antiviral Response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez Pulido, Miguel; Sáiz, Margarita

    2017-01-01

    Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is the causative agent of an acute vesicular disease affecting pigs, cattle and other domestic, and wild animals worldwide. The aim of the host interferon (IFN) response is to limit viral replication and spread. Detection of the viral genome and products by specialized cellular sensors initiates a signaling cascade that leads to a rapid antiviral response involving the secretion of type I- and type III-IFNs and other antiviral cytokines with antiproliferative and immunomodulatory functions. During co-evolution with their hosts, viruses have acquired strategies to actively counteract host antiviral responses and the balance between innate response and viral antagonism may determine the outcome of disease and pathogenesis. FMDV proteases Lpro and 3C have been found to antagonize the host IFN response by a repertoire of mechanisms. Moreover, the putative role of other viral proteins in IFN antagonism is being recently unveiled, uncovering sophisticated immune evasion strategies different to those reported to date for other members of the Picornaviridae family. Here, we review the interplay between antiviral responses induced by FMDV infection and viral countermeasures to block them. Research on strategies used by viruses to modulate immunity will provide insights into the function of host pathways involved in defense against pathogens and will also lead to development of new therapeutic strategies to fight virus infections.

  19. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of business travelers regarding influenza and the use of antiviral medication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helfenberger, Salome; Tschopp, Alois; Robyn, Luc; Hatz, Christoph; Schlagenhauf, Patricia

    2010-01-01

    This study aimed to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Swiss business travelers with regard to influenza and the use of antiviral medication. Questionnaires, available in three languages, were distributed manually and online through companies, organizations, and travel medicine specialists in Switzerland to business travelers who were traveling during the period January 2005 to April 2009. In total, 661 questionnaires were fully completed and evaluated. A total of 58.9% (n = 388) of the respondents stated that they had contracted influenza in the past; some 48.6% (n = 321) of the travelers had been vaccinated against seasonal influenza at least once in their lifetime; 87.1% (n = 576) of the travelers knew that influenza can be transmitted by droplets; and 62.3% (n = 412) were aware of transmission by direct contact. Almost all respondents (96.8%; n = 633) recognized fever as a main symptom of influenza, 80.0% (n = 523) knew about muscular aches and pain, 79.5% (n = 520) about shivering, and 72.9% (n = 477) about joint pain. Some 38.0% (n = 250) of the respondents stated that the annual vaccination is their preferred prevention method for influenza, 35.6% (n = 234) would neither do an annual vaccination nor carry antiviral medication, 16.0% (n = 105) would carry antiviral medication, 8.5% (n = 56) would prefer to do both the annual vaccination and to carry antivirals, and 2.0% (n = 13) would use antivirals as influenza prophylaxis. Regarding prevention, the majority (78.9%; n = 498) of the travelers did not seek advice on influenza before going on their last business trip, 58.0% (n = 381) did not take any preventive measures against influenza, 27.2% (n = 179) had their annual vaccination, and 15.7% (n = 103) observed hand hygiene. Of the travelers, 9.7% (n = 64) carried antiviral medication on their last business trip and 7.0% (n = 46) actually used this medication. Business travelers have a good knowledge about the transmission and the symptoms of

  20. The marine cytotoxin portimine is a potent and selective inducer of apoptosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cuddihy, Sarah L; Drake, Sarah; Harwood, D Tim; Selwood, Andrew I; McNabb, Paul S; Hampton, Mark B

    2016-12-01

    Portimine is a recently discovered member of a class of marine micro-algal toxins called cyclic imines. In dramatic contrast to related compounds in this toxin class, portimine has very low acute toxicity to mice but is highly cytotoxic to cultured cells. In this study we show that portimine kills human Jurkat T-lymphoma cells and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), with LC 50 values of 6 and 2.5 nM respectively. Treated cells displayed rapid caspase activation and phosphatidylserine exposure, indicative of apoptotic cell death. Jurkat cells overexpressing the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 or Bax/Bak knockout MEFs were completely protected from portimine. This protection was apparent even at high concentrations of portimine, with no evidence of necrotic cell death, indicating that portimine is a selective chemical inducer of apoptosis. Treatment of the Bcl-2-overexpressing cells with both portimine and the Bcl-2 inhibitor ABT-737 proved a powerful combination, causing >90 % death. We conclude that portimine is one of the most potent naturally derived inducers of apoptosis to be discovered, and it displays strong selectivity for the induction of apoptotic pathways.

  1. Meeting report: 28th International Conference on Antiviral Research in Rome, Italy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vere Hodge, R Anthony

    2015-11-01

    The 28th International Conference on Antiviral Research (ICAR) was held in Rome, Italy from May 11 to 15, 2015. This article summarizes the principal invited lectures. Phillip Furman, the Elion award recipient, described the research leading to sofosbuvir. Dennis Liotta, who received the Holý award, described how an investigation into HIV entry inhibitors led to a new therapy for cancer patients. Erica Ollmann Saphire, winner of the Prusoff Young Investigator award, explored the world of viral proteins and how they remodel to perform different essential roles in viral replication. The keynote addresses, by Raffaele De Francesco and Michael Manns, reported on the remarkable progress made in the therapy of chronic HCV infections. A third keynote address, by Armand Sprecher, related the difficulties and successes of Médicins Sans Frontières in West Africa ravaged by the Ebola outbreak. There were three mini-symposia on RNA Viruses, Antiviral Chemistry and Emerging Viruses. There was a good collection of talks on RNA viruses (norovirus, rabies, dengue, HEV, HCV, and RSV). A highlight of the chemistry was the preparation of prodrugs for nucleotide triphosphates as this opens a door to new options. The third mini-symposium emphasized how research work in the antiviral area is continuing to expand and needs to do so with a sense of urgency. Although this meeting report covers only a few of the presentations, it aims to illustrate the great diversity of topics discussed at ICAR, bringing together knowledge and expertise from the whole spectrum of antiviral research. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  2. Alpinone exhibited immunomodulatory and antiviral activities in Atlantic salmon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valenzuela, Beatriz; Rodríguez, Felipe E; Modak, Brenda; Imarai, Mónica

    2018-03-01

    In this study, we seek to identify flavonoids able to regulate the gene expression of a group of cytokines important for the control of infections in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Particularly, we studied the potential immunomodulatory effects of two flavonoids, Alpinone and Pinocembrine, which were isolated and purified from resinous exudates of Heliotropium huascoense and Heliotropium sinuatum, respectively. The transcript levels of TNF-α and IL-1 (inflammatory cytokines), IFN-γ and IL-12 (T helper 1 type cytokines), IL4/13A (Th2-type cytokine), IL-17 (Th17 type cytokine) TGF-β1 (regulatory cytokine) and IFN-α (antiviral cytokine) were quantified by qRT-PCR in kidneys of flavonoid-treated and control fish. We demonstrated that the administration of a single intramuscular dose of purified Alpinone increased the transcriptional expression of five cytokines, named TNF-α, IL-1, IFN-α, IFN-γ and TGF-β1 in treated fish compared to untreated fish. Conversely, administration of purified Pinocembrine reduced the transcriptional expression of TNF-α, IL-1 and IL-12 in the kidney of treated fish. No other changes were observed. Interestingly, Alpinone also induced in vitro antiviral effects against Infectious Salmon Anaemia virus. Results showed that Alpinone but not Pinocembrine induces the expression of cytokines, which in vertebrates are essential to control viral infections while Pinocembrine reduces pro-inflammatory cytokines. Altogether results suggest that Alpinone is a good candidate to be further tested as immunostimulant and antiviral drug. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. N-Guanidino Derivatives of 1,5-Dideoxy-1,5-imino-d-xylitol are Potent, Selective, and Stable Inhibitors of β-Glucocerebrosidase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sevšek, Alen; Šrot, Luka; Rihter, Jakob; Čelan, Maša; van Ufford, Linda Quarles; Moret, Ed E; Martin, Nathaniel I; Pieters, Roland J

    2017-04-06

    A series of lipidated guanidino and urea derivatives of 1,5-dideoxy-1,5-imino-d-xylitol were prepared from d-xylose using a concise synthetic protocol. Inhibition assays with a panel of glycosidases revealed that the guanidino analogues display potent inhibition against human recombinant β-glucocerebrosidase with IC 50 values in the low nanomolar range. Related urea analogues of 1,5-dideoxy-1,5-imino-d-xylitol were also synthesized and evaluated in the same fashion and found to be selective for β-galactosidase from bovine liver. No inhibition of human recombinant β-glucocerebrosidase was observed for the urea analogues. Computational studies provided insight into the potent activity of analogues bearing the substituted guanidine moiety in the inhibition of lysosomal glucocerebrosidase (GBA). © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Antiviral activity of viro care gz-08 against newcastle disease virus in poultry and its in-vitro cytotoxicity assay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rasool, M.H.; Afzal, A.M.

    2014-01-01

    Newcastle disease (ND), one of the most important disease of poultry throughout the World is caused by Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV). It is causing huge economic losses in poultry industry of Pakistan. Regardless of vaccination, other prevention and control measures are necessary to prevent ND outbreaks. Natural resources have been exploited to obtain antiviral compounds in several latest studies. In this study, the antiviral activity of Viro Care GZ-081 was checked up in-vitro, in-ovo and in-vivo. The cytotoxicity assay of the product was performed using Vero cell line. All the trials revealed that the stock solution and 1:2 dilution of GZ-08 had some antiviral activity as well as were cytotoxic. As the concentration decreased, cytotoxicity as well as antiviral activities were lost. Based on these findings, it was concluded that GZ-08 sanitizer or spray can be used as antiviral agent to clean or disinfect some non-living surfaces against different viruses in general and NDV in particular. However, in-vivo use of GZ-08 in poultry against NDV is recommended only as pre-treatment with ND vaccines as it significantly reduced morbidity and mortality as compared to the use of vaccines alone. However, further work is recommended in future on GZ-08 for its use as post-treatment of ND as well as on other antiviral compounds of natural origin to develop a novel antiviral drug against NDV in poultry. (author)

  5. Negative regulation of RIG-I-mediated antiviral signaling by TRK-fused gene (TFG) protein

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Na-Rae; Shin, Han-Bo; Kim, Hye-In; Choi, Myung-Soo; Inn, Kyung-Soo

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: •TRK-fused gene product (TFG) interacts with TRIM25 upon viral infection. •TFG negatively regulates RIG-I mediated antiviral signaling. •TFG depletion leads to enhanced viral replication. •TFG act downstream of MAVS. -- Abstract: RIG-I (retinoic acid inducible gene I)-mediated antiviral signaling serves as the first line of defense against viral infection. Upon detection of viral RNA, RIG-I undergoes TRIM25 (tripartite motif protein 25)-mediated K63-linked ubiquitination, leading to type I interferon (IFN) production. In this study, we demonstrate that TRK-fused gene (TFG) protein, previously identified as a TRIM25-interacting protein, binds TRIM25 upon virus infection and negatively regulates RIG-I-mediated type-I IFN signaling. RIG-I-mediated IFN production and nuclear factor (NF)-κB signaling pathways were upregulated by the suppression of TFG expression. Furthermore, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) replication was significantly inhibited by small inhibitory hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated knockdown of TFG, supporting the suppressive role of TFG in RIG-I-mediated antiviral signaling. Interestingly, suppression of TFG expression increased not only RIG-I-mediated signaling but also MAVS (mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein)-induced signaling, suggesting that TFG plays a pivotal role in negative regulation of RNA-sensing, RIG-I-like receptor (RLR) family signaling pathways

  6. Identification of DreI as an antiviral factor regulated by RLR signaling pathway.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shun Li

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs had been demonstrated to prime interferon (IFN response against viral infection via the conserved RLR signaling in fish, and a novel fish-specific gene, the grass carp reovirus (GCRV-induced gene 2 (Gig2, had been suggested to play important role in host antiviral response. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this study, we cloned and characterized zebrafish Gig2 homolog (named Danio rerio Gig2-I, DreI, and revealed its antiviral role and expressional regulation signaling pathway. RT-PCR, Western blot and promoter activity assay indicate that DreI can be induced by poly I:C, spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV and recombinant IFN (rIFN, showing that DreI is a typical ISG. Using the pivotal signaling molecules of RLR pathway, including RIG-I, MDA5 and IRF3 from crucian carp, it is found that DreI expression is regulated by RLR cascade and IRF3 plays an important role in this regulation. Furthermore, promoter mutation assay confirms that the IFN-stimulated regulatory elements (ISRE in the 5' flanking region of DreI is essential for its induction. Finally, overexpression of DreI leads to establish a strong antiviral state against SVCV and Rana grylio virus (RGV infection in EPC (Epithelioma papulosum cyprinid cells. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These data indicate that DreI is an antiviral protein, which is regulated by RLR signaling pathway.

  7. Antiviral Activity of HIV gp120 Targeting Bispecific T Cell Engager (BiTE®) Antibody Constructs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brozy, Johannes; Schlaepfer, Erika; Mueller, Christina K S; Rochat, Mary-Aude; Rampini, Silvana K; Myburgh, Renier; Raum, Tobias; Kufer, Peter; Baeuerle, Patrick A; Muenz, Markus; Speck, Roberto F

    2018-05-02

    Today's gold standard in HIV therapy is the combined antiretroviral therapy (cART). It requires strict adherence by patients and life-long medication, which can lower the viral load below detection limits and prevent HIV-associated immunodeficiency, but cannot cure patients. The bispecific T cell engaging (BiTE®) antibody technology has demonstrated long-term relapse-free outcomes in patients with relapsed and refractory acute lymphocytic leukemia. We here generated BiTE® antibody constructs that target the HIV-1 envelope protein gp120 (HIV gp120) using either the scFv B12 or VRC01, the first two extracellular domains (1+2) of human CD4 alone or joined to the single chain variable fragment (scFv) of the antibody 17b fused to an anti-human CD3ϵ scFv. These engineered human BiTE® antibody constructs showed engagement of T cells for redirected lysis of HIV gp120-transfected CHO cells. Furthermore, they substantially inhibited HIV-1 replication in PBMCs as well as in macrophages co-cultured with autologous CD8+ T-cells, the most potent being the human CD4(1+2) BiTE® antibody construct and the CD4(1+2)L17b BiTE® antibody construct. The CD4(1+2) h BiTE® antibody construct promoted HIV infection of human CD4-/CD8+ T cells. In contrast, the neutralizing B12 and the VRC01 BiTE® antibody constructs as well as the CD4(1+2)L17b BiTE® antibody construct did not. Thus, BiTE® antibody constructs targeting HIV gp120 are very promising for constraining HIV and warrant further development as novel antiviral therapy with curative potential. Importance HIV is a chronic infection well controlled with the current cART. However, we lack cure of HIV, and the HIV pandemic goes on. Here we showed in vitro and ex vivo t hat a bispecific T-cell engaging (BiTE®) antibody construct targeting HIV gp120 resulted in substantially reduced HIV replication. In addition, these BiTE® antibody constructs display efficient killing of gp120 expressing cells and inhibited replication in ex vivo

  8. Antiviral activity of the dichloromethane extracts from Artocarpus heterophyllus leaves against hepatitis C virus

    OpenAIRE

    Achmad Fuad Hafid; Chie Aoki-Utsubo; Adita Ayu Permanasari; Myrna Adianti; Lydia Tumewu; Aty Widyawaruyanti; Sri Puji Astuti Wahyuningsih; Tutik Sri Wahyuni; Maria Inge Lusida; Soetjipto; Hak Hotta

    2017-01-01

    Objective: To determine anti-viral activities of three Artocarpus species: Artocarpus altilis, Artocarpus camansi, and Artocarpus heterophyllus (A. heterophyllus) against Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). Methods: Antiviral activities of the crude extracts were examined by cell culture method using Huh7it-1 cells and HCV genotype 2a strain JFH1. The mode of action for anti-HCV activities was determined by time-of-addition experiments. The effect on HCV RNA replication and HCV accumulation in cells ...

  9. IRF-4 and c-Rel expression in antiviral-resistant adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma

    OpenAIRE

    Ramos, Juan Carlos; Ruiz, Phillip; Ratner, Lee; Reis, Isildinha M.; Brites, Carlos; Pedroso, Celia; Byrne, Gerald E.; Toomey, Ngoc L.; Andela, Valentine; Harhaj, Edward W.; Lossos, Izidore S.; Harrington, William J.

    2007-01-01

    Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is a generally fatal malignancy. Most ATLL patients fare poorly with conventional chemotherapy; however, antiviral therapy with zidovudine (AZT) and interferon alpha (IFN-α) has produced long-term clinical remissions. We studied primary ATLL tumors and identified molecular features linked to sensitivity and resistance to antiviral therapy. Enhanced expression of the proto-oncogene c-Rel was noted in 9 of 27 tumors. Resistant tumors exhibited c-Rel (6 of 1...

  10. Antiviral effects of Curcuma longa L. against dengue virus in vitro and in vivo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ichsyani, M.; Ridhanya, A.; Risanti, M.; Desti, H.; Ceria, R.; Putri, D. H.; Sudiro, T. M.; Dewi, B. E.

    2017-12-01

    Dengue is the most common infective disease caused by dengue virus (DENV) and endemic diseases in tropical and subtropical areas. Until now, there is no specific antiviral for dengue infection. It is known that viral load is related to disease severity. Curcuma longa L. (turmeric) with curcumin as major active compound has been identified for its antiviral effect. This study to determine antiviral effect of C. longa extract on DENV-2 in vitro and in vivo along with its toxicity in liver and kidney of ddY mice. Antiviral activity (IC50) and toxicity (CC50) in vitro was examined on Huh7it-1 cells by focus assay and a MTT assay, respectively. To determine the selectivity index (SI), we used CC50 and IC50 value. The safe doses obtained were used for toxicity tests of liver and kidney with histopathological and biochemical observations. The C. longa extracts was given orally with dose of 0.147 mg/mL for each mice at 2 hours after injected with DENV-2 infected Huh7it-1 cells. Serum was collected from intraorbital at 6 hours and 24 hours after infection and focus assay was used to determine viral load. In this study, the acquired value of IC50 was 17,91 μg/mL whereas the value of CC50 was 85,4 μg/mL. The value of SI of C. longa was 4.8. In vivo, we found that C. longa remarkable reduced of viral load after 24 hour. Histopathological examination showed no specific abnormalities in liver and kidney. There was no significant increase in levels of SGPT, SGOT, urea, and creatinine. From this study it can be concluded that C. longa could potentially be used as antiviral against DENV with low cytotoxicity and effective inhibition.

  11. Thiopurines inhibit bovine viral diarrhea virus production in a thiopurine methyltransferase-dependent manner.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoover, Spencer; Striker, Rob

    2008-04-01

    The family Flaviviridae comprises positive-strand RNA viral pathogens of humans and livestock with few treatment options. We have previously shown that azathioprine (AZA) has in vitro activity against bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV). While the mechanism of inhibition is unknown, AZA and related thiopurine nucleoside analogues have been used as immunosuppressants for decades and both AZA metabolites and cellular genes involved in AZA metabolism have been extensively characterized. Here, we show that only certain riboside metabolites have antiviral activity and identify the most potent known antiviral AZA metabolite as 6-methylmercaptopurine riboside (6MMPr). The antiviral activity of 6MMPr is antagonized by adenosine, and is specific to BVDV and not to the related yellow fever virus. An essential step in the conversion of AZA to 6MMPr is the addition of a methyl group onto the sulfur atom attached to position six of the purine ring. Intracellularly, the methyl group is added by thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT), an S-adenosyl methionine-dependent methyltransferase. Either chemically bypassing or inhibiting TPMT modulates antiviral activity of AZA metabolites. TPMT exists in several variants with varying levels of activity and since 6MMPr is a potent antiviral, the antiviral activity of AZA may be modulated by host genetics.

  12. Nose-to-Brain Delivery of Antiviral Drugs: A Way to Overcome Their Active Efflux?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alessandro Dalpiaz

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Although several viruses can easily infect the central nervous system (CNS, antiviral drugs often show dramatic difficulties in penetrating the brain from the bloodstream since they are substrates of active efflux transporters (AETs. These transporters, located in the physiological barriers between blood and the CNS and in macrophage membranes, are able to recognize their substrates and actively efflux them into the bloodstream. The active transporters currently known to efflux antiviral drugs are P-glycoprotein (ABCB1 or P-gp or MDR1, multidrug resistance-associated proteins (ABCC1 or MRP1, ABCC4 or MRP4, ABCC5 or MRP5, and breast cancer resistance protein (ABCG2 or BCRP. Inhibitors of AETs may be considered, but their co-administration causes serious unwanted effects. Nasal administration of antiviral drugs is therefore proposed in order to overcome the aforementioned problems, but innovative devices, formulations (thermoreversible gels, polymeric micro- and nano-particles, solid lipid microparticles, nanoemulsions, absorption enhancers (chitosan, papaverine, and mucoadhesive agents (chitosan, polyvinilpyrrolidone are required in order to selectively target the antiviral drugs and, possibly, the AET inhibitors in the CNS. Moreover, several prodrugs of antiretroviral agents can inhibit or elude the AET systems, appearing as interesting substrates for innovative nasal formulations able to target anti-Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV agents into macrophages of the CNS, which are one of the most important HIV Sanctuaries of the body.

  13. IRF-4 and c-Rel expression in antiviral-resistant adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramos, Juan Carlos; Ruiz, Phillip; Ratner, Lee; Reis, Isildinha M.; Brites, Carlos; Pedroso, Celia; Byrne, Gerald E.; Toomey, Ngoc L.; Andela, Valentine; Harhaj, Edward W.; Lossos, Izidore S.

    2007-01-01

    Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is a generally fatal malignancy. Most ATLL patients fare poorly with conventional chemotherapy; however, antiviral therapy with zidovudine (AZT) and interferon alpha (IFN-α) has produced long-term clinical remissions. We studied primary ATLL tumors and identified molecular features linked to sensitivity and resistance to antiviral therapy. Enhanced expression of the proto-oncogene c-Rel was noted in 9 of 27 tumors. Resistant tumors exhibited c-Rel (6 of 10; 60%) more often than did sensitive variants (1 of 9; 11%). This finding was independent of the disease form. Elevated expression of the putative c-Rel target, interferon regulatory factor-4 (IRF-4), was observed in 10 (91%) of 11 nonresponders and in all tested patients with c-Rel+ tumors and occurred in the absence of the HTLV-1 oncoprotein Tax. In contrast, tumors in complete responders did not express c-Rel or IRF-4. Gene rearrangement studies demonstrated the persistence of circulating T-cell clones in long-term survivors maintained on antiviral therapy. The expression of nuclear c-Rel and IRF-4 occurs in the absence of Tax in primary ATLL and is associated with antiviral resistance. These molecular features may help guide treatment. AZT and IFN-α is a suppressive rather than a curative regimen, and patients in clinical remission should remain on maintenance therapy indefinitely. PMID:17138822

  14. Immunity in the Vagina (Part II): Anti-HIV Activity and Antiviral Content of Human Vaginal Secretions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Mickey V.; Ghosh, Mimi; Fahey, John V.; Ochsenbauer, Christina; Rossoll, Richard M.; Wira, Charles R.

    2015-01-01

    Problem Whether the concentrations of antiviral proteins, and anti-HIV activity, within human vaginal secretions changes across the menstrual cycle is unknown. Method of Study Using a menstrual cup, vaginal secretions from premenopausal women were recovered at the proliferative (d6–8), mid-cycle (d13–15) and secretory (d21–23) stages of the menstrual cycle. Antiviral protein concentration was determined by ELISA, and anti-HIV activity assessed using the TZM-bl reporter cell line. Results CCL20, RANTES, elafin, HBD2, SDF-1α and IL-8 levels were detectable in the secretions. Vaginal secretions had anti-HIV activity against specific clade B strains of HIV, with significant inhibition of IIIB and increased infectivity of transmitted/founder CH077.t. No significant differences in either antiviral protein concentration or anti-HIV activity with respect to menstrual cycle stage were measured, but marked differences were observed in both parameters over the course of the cycle between different women, and in consecutive cycles from the same woman. Conclusion The vagina contains a complement of antiviral proteins. The variation in anti-HIV activity demonstrates that immune protection in the vagina is not constant. Intra- and inter-individual variations suggest that factors in addition to sex hormones influence antiviral protection. Lastly, the menstrual cup is a new model for recovering undiluted vaginal secretions from women throughout their reproductive life. PMID:24806967

  15. Autophagy is involved in anti-viral activity of pentagalloylglucose (PGG) against Herpes simplex virus type 1 infection in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pei, Ying; Chen, Zhen-Ping; Ju, Huai-Qiang; Komatsu, Masaaki; Ji, Yu-hua; Liu, Ge; Guo, Chao-wan; Zhang, Ying-Jun; Yang, Chong-Ren; Wang, Yi-Fei; Kitazato, Kaio

    2011-01-01

    Research highlights: → We showed PGG has anti-viral activity against Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and can induce autophgy. → Autophagy may be a novel and important mechanism mediating PGG anti-viral activities. → Inhibition of mTOR pathway is an important mechanism of induction of autophagy by PGG. -- Abstract: Pentagalloylglucose (PGG) is a natural polyphenolic compound with broad-spectrum anti-viral activity, however, the mechanisms underlying anti-viral activity remain undefined. In this study, we investigated the effects of PGG on anti-viral activity against Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) associated with autophagy. We found that the PGG anti-HSV-1 activity was impaired significantly in MEF-atg7 -/- cells (autophagy-defective cells) derived from an atg7 -/- knockout mouse. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that PGG-induced autophagosomes engulfed HSV-1 virions. The mTOR signaling pathway, an essential pathway for the regulation of autophagy, was found to be suppressed following PGG treatment. Data presented in this report demonstrated for the first time that autophagy induced following PGG treatment contributed to its anti-HSV activity in vitro.

  16. Immune evasion of porcine enteric coronaviruses and viral modulation of antiviral innate signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Qingzhan; Yoo, Dongwan

    2016-12-02

    Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) and porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) are emerged and reemerging viruses in pigs, and together with transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), pose significant economic concerns to the swine industry. These viruses infect epithelial cells of the small intestine and cause watery diarrhea, dehydration, and a high mortality in neonatal piglets. Type I interferons (IFN-α/β) are major antiviral cytokines forming host innate immunity, and in turn, these enteric coronaviruses have evolved to modulate the host innate immune signaling during infection. Accumulating evidence however suggests that IFN induction and signaling in the intestinal epithelial cells differ from other epithelial cells, largely due to distinct features of the gut epithelial mucosal surface and commensal microflora, and it appears that type III interferon (IFN-λ) plays a key role to maintain the antiviral state in the gut. This review describes the recent understanding on the immune evasion strategies of porcine enteric coronaviruses and the role of different types of IFNs for intestinal antiviral innate immunity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Antiviral activity of some Tunisian medicinal plants against Herpes simplex virus type 1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sassi, A Ben; Harzallah-Skhiri, F; Bourgougnon, N; Aouni, M

    2008-01-10

    Fifteen species of Tunisian traditional medicinal plants, belonging to 10 families, were selected for this study. They were Inula viscosa (L.) Ait and Reichardia tingitana (L.) Roth ssp. discolor (Pom.) Batt. (Asteraceae), Mesembryanthemum cristallinum L. and M. nodiflorum L. (Aizoaceae), Arthrocnemum indicum (Willd.) Moq., Atriplex inflata Muell., A. parvifolia Lowe var. ifiniensis (Caball) Maire, and Salicornia fruticosa L. (Chenopodiaceae), Cistus monspeliensis L. (Cistaceae), Juniperus phoenicea L. (Cupressaceae), Erica multiflora L. (Ericaceae), Frankenia pulverulenta L. (Frankeniaceae), Hypericum crispum L. (Hypericaceae), Plantago coronopus L. ssp. eu-coronopus Pilger var. vulgaris G.G. (Plantaginaceae) and Zygophyllum album L. (Zygophyllaceae). Fifty extracts prepared from those plants were screened in order to assay their antiviral activity against Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), using neutral red incorporation. Extracts from eight plants among these 15 showed some degree of antiviral activity, while the methanolic extract of E. multiflora was highly active with EC(50) of 132.6 microg mL(-1). These results corroborate that medicinal plants from Tunisia can be a rich source of potential antiviral compounds.

  18. Advanced Prodrug Strategies in Nucleoside and Non-Nucleoside Antiviral Agents: A Review of the Recent Five Years

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hanadi Sinokrot

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: Poor pharmacokinetic profiles and resistance are the main two drawbacks from which currently used antiviral agents suffer, thus make them excellent targets for research, especially in the presence of viral pandemics such as HIV and hepatitis C. Methods: The strategies employed in the studies covered in this review were sorted by the type of drug synthesized into ester prodrugs, targeted delivery prodrugs, macromolecular prodrugs, other nucleoside conjugates, and non-nucleoside drugs. Results: Utilizing the ester prodrug approach a novel isopropyl ester prodrug was found to be potent HIV integrase inhibitor. Further, employing the targeted delivery prodrug zanamivir and valine ester prodrug was made and shown a sole delivery of zanamivir. Additionally, VivaGel, a dendrimer macromolecular prodrug, was found to be very efficient and is now undergoing clinical trials. Conclusions: Of all the strategies employed (ester, targeted delivery, macromolecular, protides and nucleoside analogues, and non-nucleoside analogues prodrugs, the most promising are nucleoside analogues and macromolecular prodrugs. The macromolecular prodrug VivaGel works by two mechanisms: envelope mediated and receptor mediated disruption. Nucleotide analogues have witnessed productive era in the recent past few years. The era of non-interferon based treatment of hepatitis (through direct inhibitors of NS5A has dawned.

  19. RNAi and Antiviral Defense in the Honey Bee

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brutscher, Laura M.; Flenniken, Michelle L.

    2015-01-01

    Honey bees play an important agricultural and ecological role as pollinators of numerous agricultural crops and other plant species. Therefore, investigating the factors associated with high annual losses of honey bee colonies in the US is an important and active area of research. Pathogen incidence and abundance correlate with Colony Collapse Disorder- (CCD-) affected colonies in the US and colony losses in the US and in some European countries. Honey bees are readily infected by single-stranded positive sense RNA viruses. Largely dependent on the host immune response, virus infections can either remain asymptomatic or result in deformities, paralysis, or death of adults or larvae. RNA interference (RNAi) is an important antiviral defense mechanism in insects, including honey bees. Herein, we review the role of RNAi in honey bee antiviral defense and highlight some parallels between insect and mammalian immune systems. A more thorough understanding of the role of pathogens on honey bee health and the immune mechanisms bees utilize to combat infectious agents may lead to the development of strategies that enhance honey bee health and result in the discovery of additional mechanisms of immunity in metazoans. PMID:26798663

  20. RNAi and Antiviral Defense in the Honey Bee

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura M. Brutscher

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Honey bees play an important agricultural and ecological role as pollinators of numerous agricultural crops and other plant species. Therefore, investigating the factors associated with high annual losses of honey bee colonies in the US is an important and active area of research. Pathogen incidence and abundance correlate with Colony Collapse Disorder- (CCD- affected colonies in the US and colony losses in the US and in some European countries. Honey bees are readily infected by single-stranded positive sense RNA viruses. Largely dependent on the host immune response, virus infections can either remain asymptomatic or result in deformities, paralysis, or death of adults or larvae. RNA interference (RNAi is an important antiviral defense mechanism in insects, including honey bees. Herein, we review the role of RNAi in honey bee antiviral defense and highlight some parallels between insect and mammalian immune systems. A more thorough understanding of the role of pathogens on honey bee health and the immune mechanisms bees utilize to combat infectious agents may lead to the development of strategies that enhance honey bee health and result in the discovery of additional mechanisms of immunity in metazoans.

  1. Systems Biology-Based Investigation of Cellular Antiviral Drug Targets Identified by Gene-Trap Insertional Mutagenesis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Feixiong Cheng

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Viruses require host cellular factors for successful replication. A comprehensive systems-level investigation of the virus-host interactome is critical for understanding the roles of host factors with the end goal of discovering new druggable antiviral targets. Gene-trap insertional mutagenesis is a high-throughput forward genetics approach to randomly disrupt (trap host genes and discover host genes that are essential for viral replication, but not for host cell survival. In this study, we used libraries of randomly mutagenized cells to discover cellular genes that are essential for the replication of 10 distinct cytotoxic mammalian viruses, 1 gram-negative bacterium, and 5 toxins. We herein reported 712 candidate cellular genes, characterizing distinct topological network and evolutionary signatures, and occupying central hubs in the human interactome. Cell cycle phase-specific network analysis showed that host cell cycle programs played critical roles during viral replication (e.g. MYC and TAF4 regulating G0/1 phase. Moreover, the viral perturbation of host cellular networks reflected disease etiology in that host genes (e.g. CTCF, RHOA, and CDKN1B identified were frequently essential and significantly associated with Mendelian and orphan diseases, or somatic mutations in cancer. Computational drug repositioning framework via incorporating drug-gene signatures from the Connectivity Map into the virus-host interactome identified 110 putative druggable antiviral targets and prioritized several existing drugs (e.g. ajmaline that may be potential for antiviral indication (e.g. anti-Ebola. In summary, this work provides a powerful methodology with a tight integration of gene-trap insertional mutagenesis testing and systems biology to identify new antiviral targets and drugs for the development of broadly acting and targeted clinical antiviral therapeutics.

  2. Chemokines cooperate with TNF to provide protective anti-viral immunity and to enhance inflammation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alejo, Alí; Ruiz-Argüello, M Begoña; Pontejo, Sergio M; Fernández de Marco, María Del Mar; Saraiva, Margarida; Hernáez, Bruno; Alcamí, Antonio

    2018-05-03

    The role of cytokines and chemokines in anti-viral defense has been demonstrated, but their relative contribution to protective anti-viral responses in vivo is not fully understood. Cytokine response modifier D (CrmD) is a secreted receptor for TNF and lymphotoxin containing the smallpox virus-encoded chemokine receptor (SECRET) domain and is expressed by ectromelia virus, the causative agent of the smallpox-like disease mousepox. Here we show that CrmD is an essential virulence factor that controls natural killer cell activation and allows progression of fatal mousepox, and demonstrate that both SECRET and TNF binding domains are required for full CrmD activity. Vaccination with recombinant CrmD protects animals from lethal mousepox. These results indicate that a specific set of chemokines enhance the inflammatory and protective anti-viral responses mediated by TNF and lymphotoxin, and illustrate how viruses optimize anti-TNF strategies with the addition of a chemokine binding domain as soluble decoy receptors.

  3. A content analysis of displayed alcohol references on a social networking web site.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moreno, Megan A; Briner, Leslie R; Williams, Amanda; Brockman, Libby; Walker, Leslie; Christakis, Dimitri A

    2010-08-01

    Exposure to alcohol use in media is associated with adolescent alcohol use. Adolescents frequently display alcohol references on Internet media, such as social networking web sites. The purpose of this study was to conduct a theoretically based content analysis of older adolescents' displayed alcohol references on a social networking web site. We evaluated 400 randomly selected public MySpace profiles of self-reported 17- to 20-year-olds from zip codes, representing urban, suburban, and rural communities in one Washington county. Content was evaluated for alcohol references, suggesting: (1) explicit versus figurative alcohol use, (2) alcohol-related motivations, associations, and consequences, including references that met CRAFFT problem drinking criteria. We compared profiles from four target zip codes for prevalence and frequency of alcohol display. Of 400 profiles, 225 (56.3%) contained 341 references to alcohol. Profile owners who displayed alcohol references were mostly male (54.2%) and white (70.7%). The most frequent reference category was explicit use (49.3%); the most commonly displayed alcohol use motivation was peer pressure (4.7%). Few references met CRAFFT problem drinking criteria (3.2%). There were no differences in prevalence or frequency of alcohol display among the four sociodemographic communities. Despite alcohol use being illegal and potentially stigmatizing in this population, explicit alcohol use is frequently referenced on adolescents' MySpace profiles across several sociodemographic communities. Motivations, associations, and consequences regarding alcohol use referenced on MySpace appear consistent with previous studies of adolescent alcohol use. These references may be a potent source of influence on adolescents, particularly given that they are created and displayed by peers. (c) 2010 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Antiviral activity and specific modes of action of bacterial prodigiosin against Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Wei; Zeng, Cheng; Liu, RenHua; Chen, Jie; Li, Ru; Wang, XinYan; Bai, WenWen; Liu, XiaoYuan; Xiang, TingTing; Zhang, Lin; Wan, YongJi

    2016-05-01

    Prodigiosin, the tripyrrole red pigment, is a bacterial secondary metabolite with multiple bioactivities; however, the antiviral activity has not been reported yet. In the present study, we found the antiviral activity of bacterial prodigiosin on Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV)-infected cells in vitro, with specific modes of action. Prodigiosin at nontoxic concentrations selectively killed virus-infected cells, inhibited viral gene transcription, especially viral early gene ie-1, and prevented virus-mediated membrane fusion. Under prodigiosin treatment, both progeny virus production and viral DNA replication were significantly inhibited. Fluorescent assays showed that prodigiosin predominantly located in cytoplasm which suggested it might interact with cytoplasm factors to inhibit virus replication. In conclusion, the present study clearly indicates that prodigiosin possesses significant antiviral activity against BmNPV.

  5. Innate immunity in the vagina (Part II): Anti-HIV activity and antiviral content of human vaginal secretions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Mickey V; Ghosh, Mimi; Fahey, John V; Ochsenbauer, Christina; Rossoll, Richard M; Wira, Charles R

    2014-07-01

    Whether the concentrations of antiviral proteins, and anti-HIV activity, within human vaginal secretions change across the menstrual cycle is unknown. Using a menstrual cup, vaginal secretions from pre-menopausal women were recovered at the proliferative (d6-8), mid-cycle (d13-15), and secretory (d21-23) stages of the menstrual cycle. Antiviral protein concentration was determined by ELISA, and anti-HIV activity assessed using the TZM-bl reporter cell line. CCL20, RANTES, elafin, HBD2, SDF-1α, and IL-8 levels were detectable in the secretions. Vaginal secretions had anti-HIV activity against specific clade B strains of HIV, with significant inhibition of IIIB and increased infectivity of transmitted/founder CH077.t. No significant differences in either antiviral protein concentration or anti-HIV activity with respect to menstrual cycle stage were measured, but marked differences were observed in both parameters over the course of the cycle between different women and in consecutive cycles from the same woman. The vagina contains a complement of antiviral proteins. The variation in anti-HIV activity demonstrates that immune protection in the vagina is not constant. Intra- and interindividual variations suggest that factors in addition to sex hormones influence antiviral protection. Lastly, the menstrual cup is a new model for recovering undiluted vaginal secretions from women throughout their reproductive life. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Synthesis, biological evaluation and molecular modeling investigation of some new Benzimidazole analogs as antiviral agents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goda, Fatma E.; Tantawy, Atif S.; Abou-Zeid, Laila A.; Badr, Sahar M.; Selim, Khalid B.

    2008-01-01

    A set heterocyclic benzimidazole derivatives bearing 1, 3, 5-triazine group with different substituents at C-2 and C-5 of the benzimidazole ring have been synthesized and evaluated for their antiviral activities against HASV-1. The structures of these compounds have been established by analytical data, IR spectra, H NMR and mass spectra. Compounds 8a and 8b proved to be the most active antiherpetic agents in this study, at EC 50% concentrations of 2.9. 3.4 mg/ml, respectively. Computational evaluation of the quantum chemical descriptors such as hydrphobicity (log P), HOMO-LUMO and the gap energy were calculated and correlated with the antiviral activity. The tested compounds showed proper degree of hydrophobicity ( 5). The HOMO-LUMO gap energy values of the tested compounds are comparable with the observed values for the antiviral drug Acyclovir. (author)

  7. Testing of disease-resistance of pokeweed antiviral protein gene ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Transformation of pokeweed antiviral protein gene (PAP) into plants was shown to improve plant resistance to several viruses or fungi pathogens with no much negative effect on plant growth. The non-virulent defective PAP inhibits only the virus but does not interfere with the host. A non-virulent defective PAP gene ...

  8. In Vitro Antiviral Activity and Resistance Profile Characterization of the Hepatitis C Virus NS5A Inhibitor Ledipasvir.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Guofeng; Tian, Yang; Doehle, Brian; Peng, Betty; Corsa, Amoreena; Lee, Yu-Jen; Gong, Ruoyu; Yu, Mei; Han, Bin; Xu, Simin; Dvory-Sobol, Hadas; Perron, Michel; Xu, Yili; Mo, Hongmei; Pagratis, Nikos; Link, John O; Delaney, William

    2016-01-11

    Ledipasvir (LDV; GS-5885), a component of Harvoni (a fixed-dose combination of LDV with sofosbuvir [SOF]), is approved to treat chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Here, we report key preclinical antiviral properties of LDV, including in vitro potency, in vitro resistance profile, and activity in combination with other anti-HCV agents. LDV has picomolar antiviral activity against genotype 1a and genotype 1b replicons with 50% effective concentration (EC50) values of 0.031 nM and 0.004 nM, respectively. LDV is also active against HCV genotypes 4a, 4d, 5a, and 6a with EC50 values of 0.11 to 1.1 nM. LDV has relatively less in vitro antiviral activity against genotypes 2a, 2b, 3a, and 6e, with EC50 values of 16 to 530 nM. In vitro resistance selection with LDV identified the single Y93H and Q30E resistance-associated variants (RAVs) in the NS5A gene; these RAVs were also observed in patients after a 3-day monotherapy treatment. In vitro antiviral combination studies indicate that LDV has additive to moderately synergistic antiviral activity when combined with other classes of HCV direct-acting antiviral (DAA) agents, including NS3/4A protease inhibitors and the nucleotide NS5B polymerase inhibitor SOF. Furthermore, LDV is active against known NS3 protease and NS5B polymerase inhibitor RAVs with EC50 values equivalent to those for the wild type. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  9. Synthesis and Antiviral Activity of 3-Aminoindole Nucleosides of 2-Acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abdelrahman, Adel A. H.; Elessawy, Farag A.; Barakat, Yousif A. [Menoufia Univ., Shebin El-Koam (Egypt); Ellatif, Mona M. Abd [The British Univ. in Egypt, Cairo (Egypt)

    2012-10-15

    A new method for the construction of 3-aminoindole nucleosides of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose based is presented. Nitration and acetylation of the indole nucleosides by acetic anhydride-nitric acid mixture followed by reduction using silver catalyst (SNSM) impregnated on silica gel, afforded the corresponding amino indole nucleosides. The nucleosides were tested for antiviral activity against hepatitis B virus (HBV) to show different degrees of antiviral activities or inhibitory actions.

  10. Anopheles gambiae antiviral immune response to systemic O'nyong-nyong infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joanna Waldock

    Full Text Available Mosquito-borne viral diseases cause significant burden in much of the developing world. Although host-virus interactions have been studied extensively in the vertebrate host, little is known about mosquito responses to viral infection. In contrast to mosquitoes of the Aedes and Culex genera, Anopheles gambiae, the principal vector of human malaria, naturally transmits very few arboviruses, the most important of which is O'nyong-nyong virus (ONNV. Here we have investigated the A. gambiae immune response to systemic ONNV infection using forward and reverse genetic approaches.We have used DNA microarrays to profile the transcriptional response of A. gambiae inoculated with ONNV and investigate the antiviral function of candidate genes through RNAi gene silencing assays. Our results demonstrate that A. gambiae responses to systemic viral infection involve genes covering all aspects of innate immunity including pathogen recognition, modulation of immune signalling, complement-mediated lysis/opsonisation and other immune effector mechanisms. Patterns of transcriptional regulation and co-infections of A. gambiae with ONNV and the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei suggest that hemolymph immune responses to viral infection are diverted away from melanisation. We show that four viral responsive genes encoding two putative recognition receptors, a galectin and an MD2-like receptor, and two effector lysozymes, function in limiting viral load.This study is the first step in elucidating the antiviral mechanisms of A. gambiae mosquitoes, and has revealed interesting differences between A. gambiae and other invertebrates. Our data suggest that mechanisms employed by A. gambiae are distinct from described invertebrate antiviral immunity to date, and involve the complement-like branch of the humoral immune response, supressing the melanisation response that is prominent in anti-parasitic immunity. The antiviral immune response in A. gambiae is thus

  11. Vinorelbine Potently Induces Placental Cell Death, Does Not Harm Fertility and is a Potential Treatment for Ectopic Pregnancy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roxanne Hastie

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Ectopic pregnancies complicate 1–2 pregnancies and are a leading cause of maternal death. An effective oral drug therapy that replaces surgery might make its treatment safer, cheaper, simpler and therefore more widely accessible. The only current medical treatment offered to women is intramuscular methotrexate, but this only reliably resolves smaller ectopic pregnancies. As such, many ectopic pregnancies require surgical excision. We show that vinorelbine, an orally available chemotherapeutic agent, potently induced placental cell death but did not harm fertility in mice. Vinorelbine was 100–1000 times more potent than methotrexate in inducing placental cell death in vitro, and more potent than combination methotrexate and gefitinib (another proposed treatment for ectopic pregnancy being evaluated in phase III trials. Mechanistically, it caused microtubule condensation, blocked mitosis and activated the apoptosis cascade in placental cells. Vinorelbine was more efficacious than methotrexate ± gefitinib in reducing the volume of placental cell tumors xenografted subcutaneously in SCID mice. Mice exposed to vinorelbine and allowed to breed, following a four week washout period, displayed normal fertility, however long-term fertility was not assessed. Human Fallopian tubes treated with vinorelbine did not exhibit up-regulation of apoptosis molecules. Our findings show that placental cells appear sensitive to vinorelbine and it has potential as a tablet-only approach to treat ectopic pregnancy. Keywords: Ectopic pregnancy, Vinorelbine, Methotrexate, Placenta, Treatment

  12. Epimedium koreanum Nakai Water Extract Exhibits Antiviral Activity against Porcine Epidermic Diarrhea Virus In Vitro and In Vivo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Won-Kyung Cho

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV causes diarrhea of pigs age-independently and death of young piglets, resulting in economic loss of porcine industry. We have screened 333 natural oriental herbal medicines to search for new antiviral candidates against PEDV. We found that two herbal extracts, KIOM 198 and KIOM 124, contain significant anti-PED viral effect. KIOM 198 and KIOM 124 were identified as Epimedium koreanum Nakai and Lonicera japonica Thunberg, respectively. The further plaque and CPE inhibition assay in vitro showed that KIOM 198 has much stronger antiviral activity than KIOM 124. Additionally, KIOM 198 exhibited a similar extent of antiviral effect against other subtypes of Corona virus such as sm98 and TGE viruses. Cytotoxicity results showed that KIOM 198 is nontoxic on the cells and suggest that it can be delivered safely for therapy. Furthermore, when we orally administered KIOM 198 to piglets and then infected them with PEDV, the piglets did not show any disease symptoms like diarrhea and biopsy results showed clean intestine, whereas control pigs without KIOM 198 treatment exhibited PED-related severe symptoms. These results imply that KIOM 198 contains strong antiviral activity and has a potential to be developed as an antiviral phytomedicine to treat PEDV-related diseases in pigs.

  13. Non-Specific dsRNA-Mediated Antiviral Response in the Honey Bee

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flenniken, Michelle L.; Andino, Raul

    2013-01-01

    Honey bees are essential pollinators of numerous agricultural crops. Since 2006, honey bee populations have suffered considerable annual losses that are partially attributed to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). CCD is an unexplained phenomenon that correlates with elevated incidence of pathogens, including RNA viruses. Honey bees are eusocial insects that live in colonies of genetically related individuals that work in concert to gather and store nutrients. Their social organization provides numerous benefits, but also facilitates pathogen transmission between individuals. To investigate honey bee antiviral defense mechanisms, we developed an RNA virus infection model and discovered that administration of dsRNA, regardless of sequence, reduced virus infection. Our results suggest that dsRNA, a viral pathogen associated molecular pattern (PAMP), triggers an antiviral response that controls virus infection in honey bees. PMID:24130869

  14. Modelling Hepatitis B Virus Antiviral Therapy and Drug Resistant Mutant Strains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernal, Julie; Dix, Trevor; Allison, Lloyd; Bartholomeusz, Angeline; Yuen, Lilly

    Despite the existence of vaccines, the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is still a serious global health concern. HBV targets liver cells. It has an unusual replication process involving an RNA pre-genome that the reverse transcriptase domain of the viral polymerase protein translates into viral DNA. The reverse transcription process is error prone and together with the high replication rates of the virus, allows the virus to exist as a heterogeneous population of mutants, known as a quasispecies, that can adapt and become resistant to antiviral therapy. This study presents an individual-based model of HBV inside an artificial liver, and associated blood serum, undergoing antiviral therapy. This model aims to provide insights into the evolution of the HBV quasispecies and the individual contribution of HBV mutations in the outcome of therapy.

  15. Antiviral activity of the extracts of Rhodophyceae from Morocco

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Administrator

    2010-11-15

    Nov 15, 2010 ... replication of HSV-1 in vitro at an EC50 (Effective Concentration 50%) ranging from <2.5 to 75.9 µg mL-1. No cytotoxic effect ... Keywords: Antiviral, Aqueous extracts, Organic extracts, Rhodophyceae, Herpes simplex virus. INTRODUCTION ... from a species of Bryopsis as a possible treatment of lung cancer ...

  16. Antiviral Activity of Natural Products Extracted from Marine Organisms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sobia Tabassum

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Many epidemics have broken out over the centuries. Hundreds and thousands of humans have died over a disease. Available treatments for infectious diseases have always been limited. Some infections are more deadly than the others, especially viral pathogens. These pathogens have continuously resisted all kinds of medical treatment, due to a need for new treatments to be developed. Drugs are present in nature and are also synthesized in vitro and they help in combating diseases and restoring health. Synthesizing drugs is a hard and time consuming task, which requires a lot of man power and financial aid. However, the natural compounds are just lying around on the earth, may it be land or water. Over a thousand novel compounds isolated from marine organisms are used as antiviral agents. Others are being pharmacologically tested. Today, over forty antiviral compounds are present in the pharmacological market. Some of these compounds are undergoing clinical and pre-clinical stages. Marine compounds are paving the way for a new trend in modern medicine.

  17. AGO/RISC-mediated antiviral RNA silencing in a plant in vitro system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schuck, Jana; Gursinsky, Torsten; Pantaleo, Vitantonio; Burgyán, Jozsef; Behrens, Sven-Erik

    2013-05-01

    AGO/RISC-mediated antiviral RNA silencing, an important component of the plant's immune response against RNA virus infections, was recapitulated in vitro. Cytoplasmic extracts of tobacco protoplasts were applied that supported Tombusvirus RNA replication, as well as the formation of RNA-induced silencing complexes (RISC) that could be functionally reconstituted with various plant ARGONAUTE (AGO) proteins. For example, when RISC containing AGO1, 2, 3 or 5 were programmed with exogenous siRNAs that specifically targeted the viral RNA, endonucleolytic cleavages occurred and viral replication was inhibited. Antiviral RNA silencing was disabled by the viral silencing suppressor p19 when this was present early during RISC formation. Notably, with replicating viral RNA, only (+)RNA molecules were accessible to RISC, whereas (-)RNA replication intermediates were not. The vulnerability of viral RNAs to RISC activity also depended on the RNA structure of the target sequence. This was most evident when we characterized viral siRNAs (vsiRNAs) that were particularly effective in silencing with AGO1- or AGO2/RISC. These vsiRNAs targeted similar sites, suggesting that accessible parts of the viral (+)RNA may be collectively attacked by different AGO/RISC. The in vitro system was, hence, established as a valuable tool to define and characterize individual molecular determinants of antiviral RNA silencing.

  18. Autophagy is involved in anti-viral activity of pentagalloylglucose (PGG) against Herpes simplex virus type 1 infection in vitro

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pei, Ying, E-mail: peiying-19802@163.com [Biomedicine Research and Development Center of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632 (China); Chen, Zhen-Ping, E-mail: 530670663@qq.com [Biomedicine Research and Development Center of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632 (China); Ju, Huai-Qiang, E-mail: 344464448@qq.com [Biomedicine Research and Development Center of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632 (China); Komatsu, Masaaki, E-mail: komatsu-ms@igakuken.or.jp [Laboratory of Frontier Science, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8613 (Japan); Ji, Yu-hua, E-mail: tjyh@jnu.edu.cn [Institute of Tissue Transplantation and Immunology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632 (China); Liu, Ge, E-mail: lggege_15@hotmail.com [Division of Molecular Pharmacology of Infectious agents, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8521 (Japan); Guo, Chao-wan, E-mail: chaovan_kwok@hotmail.com [Division of Molecular Pharmacology of Infectious agents, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8521 (Japan); Zhang, Ying-Jun, E-mail: zhangyj@mail.kib.ac.cn [Kunming Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, Kunming 650204 (China); Yang, Chong-Ren, E-mail: cryang@mail.kib.ac.cn [Kunming Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, Kunming 650204 (China); Wang, Yi-Fei, E-mail: twang-yf@163.com [Biomedicine Research and Development Center of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632 (China); Kitazato, Kaio, E-mail: kkholi@msn.com [Division of Molecular Pharmacology of Infectious agents, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8521 (Japan)

    2011-02-11

    Research highlights: {yields} We showed PGG has anti-viral activity against Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and can induce autophgy. {yields} Autophagy may be a novel and important mechanism mediating PGG anti-viral activities. {yields} Inhibition of mTOR pathway is an important mechanism of induction of autophagy by PGG. -- Abstract: Pentagalloylglucose (PGG) is a natural polyphenolic compound with broad-spectrum anti-viral activity, however, the mechanisms underlying anti-viral activity remain undefined. In this study, we investigated the effects of PGG on anti-viral activity against Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) associated with autophagy. We found that the PGG anti-HSV-1 activity was impaired significantly in MEF-atg7{sup -/-} cells (autophagy-defective cells) derived from an atg7{sup -/-} knockout mouse. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that PGG-induced autophagosomes engulfed HSV-1 virions. The mTOR signaling pathway, an essential pathway for the regulation of autophagy, was found to be suppressed following PGG treatment. Data presented in this report demonstrated for the first time that autophagy induced following PGG treatment contributed to its anti-HSV activity in vitro.

  19. Effect of antiviral prophylaxis on influenza outbreaks om aged care facilities in three local health districts in New South Wales, Australia, 2014

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tony Merritt

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Background: There was a record number (n = 111 of influenza outbreaks in aged care facilities in New South Wales, Australia during 2014. To determine the impact of antiviral prophylaxis recommendations in practice, influenza outbreak data were compared for facilities in which antiviral prophylaxis and treatment were recommended and for those in which antivirals were recommended for treatment only. Methods: Routinely collected outbreak data were extracted from the Notifiable Conditions Information Management System for two Local Health Districts where antiviral prophylaxis was routinely recommended and one Local Health District where antivirals were recommended for treatment but not routinely for prophylaxis. Data collected on residents included counts of influenza-like illness, confirmed influenza, hospitalizations and related deaths. Dates of onset, notification, influenza confirmation and antiviral recommendations were also collected for analysis. The Mann–Whitney U test was used to assess the significance of differences between group medians for key parameters. Results: A total of 41 outbreaks (12 in the prophylaxis group and 29 in the treatment-only group were included in the analysis. There was no significant difference in overall outbreak duration; outbreak duration after notification; or attack, hospitalization or case fatality rates between the two groups. The prophylaxis group had significantly higher cases with influenza-like illness (P = 0.03 and cases recommended antiviral treatment per facility (P = 0.01. Discussion: This study found no significant difference in key outbreak parameters between the two groups. However, further high quality evidence is needed to guide the use of antivirals in responding to influenza outbreaks in aged care facilities.

  20. Inhibition of HIV-1 infection by aqueous extracts of Prunella vulgaris L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    McCoy Joe-Ann

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The mint family (Lamiaceae produces a wide variety of constituents with medicinal properties. Several family members have been reported to have antiviral activity, including lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L., sage (Salvia spp., peppermint (Mentha × piperita L., hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis L., basil (Ocimum spp. and self-heal (Prunella vulgaris L.. To further characterize the anti-lentiviral activities of Prunella vulgaris, water and ethanol extracts were tested for their ability to inhibit HIV-1 infection. Results Aqueous extracts contained more anti-viral activity than did ethanol extracts, displaying potent antiviral activity against HIV-1 at sub μg/mL concentrations with little to no cellular cytotoxicity at concentrations more than 100-fold higher. Time-of-addition studies demonstrated that aqueous extracts were effective when added during the first five hours following initiation of infection, suggesting that the botanical constituents were targeting entry events. Further analysis revealed that extracts inhibited both virus/cell interactions and post-binding events. While only 40% inhibition was maximally achieved in our virus/cell interaction studies, extract effectively blocked post-binding events at concentrations similar to those that blocked infection, suggesting that it was targeting of these latter steps that was most important for mediating inhibition of virus infectivity. Conclusions We demonstrate that aqueous P. vulgaris extracts inhibited HIV-1 infectivity. Our studies suggest that inhibition occurs primarily by interference of early, post-virion binding events. The ability of aqueous extracts to inhibit early events within the HIV life cycle suggests that these extracts, or purified constituents responsible for the antiviral activity, are promising microbicides and/or antivirals against HIV-1.

  1. EXPRESSION OF ANTIVIRAL GENE ON TIGER SHRIMP Penaeus monodon AT DIFFERENT TISSUE AND BODY SIZE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andi Parenrengi

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available The role of tiger shrimp defense against invading pathogen on molecular level such antiviral gene expression is limited to be reported. Gene expression is a process which codes information of genes that is converted to the protein as a phenotype. Distribution of PmAV antivirus gene, that has been reported as an important gene on non-specific response immune, is needed to be observed to several organs/tissues and size of tiger shrimp. The aim of this study is to determine the distribution of gene antiviral expression at several organ/tissue and size of shrimp. The organs/tissues observed in this study were: gill, hepatopancres, muscle tissue, eyes, heart, stomach, gonad, and intestine. While the size of shrimp consisted of three groups, those are: (A 10-20 g/ind., (B 30-40 g/ind., and (C 60-70 g/ind. Analysis of antiviral gene expression was performed by RNA extraction, followed by the cDNA syntesis, and amplification of gene expression by semi-quantitative PCR. The result of PCR optimation showed the optimal concentration of cDNA and primer was 1 μL and 50 mol, respectively for PCR final volume of 25 μL. Antiviral gene was expressed on the hepatopancreas and stomach in percentage of 50.0% and 16.7%, respectively. While the highest percentage of individual expressing the antiviral gene was observed in the shrimp size of C (66.7%, followed by B (50.0% and A (16.7%. The result of study implied that the hepatopancreas has importantly involed in tiger shrimp defense mechanism on viral infection.

  2. Atividade antiviral do extrato de própolis contra o calicivírus felino, adenovírus canino 2 e vírus da diarréia viral bovina Antiviral activity of propolis extracts against feline calicivirus, canine adenovirus 2, and bovine viral diarrhea virus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Paula Cueto

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Dentre as propriedades biológicas da própolis, a atividade antimicrobiana tem merecido destacada atenção. Neste artigo, descreve-se a atividade antiviral de dois extratos etanólicos de própolis (EP1 e EP2 frente aos vírus: calicivírus felino (FCV, adenovírus canino tipo 2 (CAV-2 e vírus da diarréia viral bovina (BVDV. Um dos extratos (EP1 foi obtido por extração etanólica de própolis obtida da região central do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul e o segundo (EP2, obtido comercialmente de uma empresa de Minas Gerais. A análise dos extratos de própolis através da cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência (CLAE identificou a presença de flavonóides como: rutina, quercetina e ácido gálico. A atividade antiviral bem como a citotoxicidade dos extratos aos cultivos celulares foram avaliadas através do MTT [3- (4,5 dimetiltiazol-2yl-2-5-difenil-2H tetrazolato de bromo]. Ambos os extratos evidenciaram atividade antiviral frente ao BVDV e CAV-2 quando acrescidos ao cultivo celular anteriormente à inoculação viral. Os extratos foram menos efetivos contra o FCV em comparação aos resultados obtidos com os outros vírus, e a atividade antiviral neste caso foi observada apenas quando a própolis estava presente após a inoculação viral. O extrato obtido no laboratório (EP1 apresentou valores mais altos de índice de seletividade (IS=CC50/ CE50, quando comparado à outra amostra (EP2. Em resumo, a própolis apresentou atividade antiviral frente a três diferentes vírus, o que a torna alvo para o desenvolvimento de novos compostos naturais com atividade antiviral.Propolis is a resinous substance produced by bees for which several biological activities have been attributed. In this article, the antiviral activity of two propolis extracts was tested against bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV, canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV-2, and feline calicivirus (FCV. One of the extracts was obtained by ethanolic extraction of propolis from the Santa

  3. 78 FR 57166 - Antiviral Drugs Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-09-17

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2013-N-0001] Antiviral Drugs Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice. This notice announces a forthcoming meeting of a public advisory committee of the Food and Drug...

  4. Antiviral evaluation of an Hsp90 inhibitor, gedunin, against dengue ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Purpose: To evaluate the antiviral potential of a tetranortriterpenoid, gedunin, against dengue virus (DENV) replication by targeting the host chaperone, Hsp90. Methods: The compound, gedunin, was tested against the replication of DENV in vitro using BHK-15 cells transfected with DENV-2 subgenomic replicon. Molecular ...

  5. 75 FR 16151 - Antiviral Drugs Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-03-31

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2010-N-0001] Antiviral Drugs Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice. This notice announces a forthcoming meeting of a public advisory committee of the Food and Drug...

  6. 76 FR 62418 - Antiviral Drugs Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-10-07

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2011-N-0002] Antiviral Drugs Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice. This notice announces a forthcoming meeting of a public advisory committee of the Food and Drug...

  7. 3D display system using monocular multiview displays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakamoto, Kunio; Saruta, Kazuki; Takeda, Kazutoki

    2002-05-01

    A 3D head mounted display (HMD) system is useful for constructing a virtual space. The authors have researched the virtual-reality systems connected with computer networks for real-time remote control and developed a low-priced real-time 3D display for building these systems. We developed a 3D HMD system using monocular multi-view displays. The 3D displaying technique of this monocular multi-view display is based on the concept of the super multi-view proposed by Kajiki at TAO (Telecommunications Advancement Organization of Japan) in 1996. Our 3D HMD has two monocular multi-view displays (used as a visual display unit) in order to display a picture to the left eye and the right eye. The left and right images are a pair of stereoscopic images for the left and right eyes, then stereoscopic 3D images are observed.

  8. Mechanisms of Hepatitis C Viral Resistance to Direct Acting Antivirals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Asma; Felmlee, Daniel J

    2015-12-18

    There has been a remarkable transformation in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in recent years with the development of direct acting antiviral agents targeting virus encoded proteins important for viral replication including NS3/4A, NS5A and NS5B. These agents have shown high sustained viral response (SVR) rates of more than 90% in phase 2 and phase 3 clinical trials; however, this is slightly lower in real-life cohorts. Hepatitis C virus resistant variants are seen in most patients who do not achieve SVR due to selection and outgrowth of resistant hepatitis C virus variants within a given host. These resistance associated mutations depend on the class of direct-acting antiviral drugs used and also vary between hepatitis C virus genotypes and subtypes. The understanding of these mutations has a clear clinical implication in terms of choice and combination of drugs used. In this review, we describe mechanism of action of currently available drugs and summarize clinically relevant resistance data.

  9. Circular displays: control/display arrangements and stereotype strength with eight different display locations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Alan H S; Hoffmann, Errol R

    2015-01-01

    Two experiments are reported that were designed to investigate control/display arrangements having high stereotype strengths when using circular displays. Eight display locations relative to the operator and control were tested with rotational and translational controls situated on different planes according to the Frame of Reference Transformation Tool (FORT) model of Wickens et al. (2010). (Left. No, Right! Development of the Frame of Reference Transformation Tool (FORT), Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 54th Annual Meeting, 54: 1022-1026). In many cases, there was little effect of display locations, indicating the importance of the Worringham and Beringer (1998. Directional stimulus-response compatibility: a test of three alternative principles. Ergonomics, 41(6), 864-880) Visual Field principle and an extension of this principle for rotary controls (Hoffmann and Chan (2013). The Worringham and Beringer 'visual field' principle for rotary controls. Ergonomics, 56(10), 1620-1624). The initial indicator position (12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock) had a major effect on control/display stereotype strength for many of the six controls tested. Best display/control arrangements are listed for each of the different control types (rotational and translational) and for the planes on which they are mounted. Data have application where a circular display is used due to limited display panel space and applies to space-craft, robotics operators, hospital equipment and home appliances. Practitioner Summary: Circular displays are often used when there is limited space available on a control panel. Display/control arrangements having high stereotype strength are listed for four initial indicator positions. These arrangements are best for design purposes.

  10. Inhibition of enterovirus 71 (EV-71 infections by a novel antiviral peptide derived from EV-71 capsid protein VP1.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chee Wah Tan

    Full Text Available Enterovirus 71 (EV-71 is the main causative agent of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD. In recent years, EV-71 infections were reported to cause high fatalities and severe neurological complications in Asia. Currently, no effective antiviral or vaccine is available to treat or prevent EV-71 infection. In this study, we have discovered a synthetic peptide which could be developed as a potential antiviral for inhibition of EV-71. Ninety five synthetic peptides (15-mers overlapping the entire EV-71 capsid protein, VP1, were chemically synthesized and tested for antiviral properties against EV-71 in human Rhabdomyosarcoma (RD cells. One peptide, SP40, was found to significantly reduce cytopathic effects of all representative EV-71 strains from genotypes A, B and C tested, with IC(50 values ranging from 6-9.3 µM in RD cells. The in vitro inhibitory effect of SP40 exhibited a dose dependent concentration corresponding to a decrease in infectious viral particles, total viral RNA and the levels of VP1 protein. The antiviral activity of SP40 peptide was not restricted to a specific cell line as inhibition of EV-71 was observed in RD, HeLa, HT-29 and Vero cells. Besides inhibition of EV-71, it also had antiviral activities against CV-A16 and poliovirus type 1 in cell culture. Mechanism of action studies suggested that the SP40 peptide was not virucidal but was able to block viral attachment to the RD cells. Substitutions of arginine and lysine residues with alanine in the SP40 peptide at positions R3A, R4A, K5A and R13A were found to significantly decrease antiviral activities, implying the importance of positively charged amino acids for the antiviral activities. The data demonstrated the potential and feasibility of SP40 as a broad spectrum antiviral agent against EV-71.

  11. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus Papain-Like Novel Protease Inhibitors: Design, Synthesis, Protein-Ligand X-ray Structure and Biological Evaluation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ghosh, Arun K.; Takayama, Jun; Rao, Kalapala Venkateswar; Ratia, Kiira; Chaudhuri, Rima; Mulhearn, Debbie C.; Lee, Hyun; Nichols, Daniel B.; Baliji, Surendranath; Baker, Susan C.; Johnson, Michael E.; Mesecar, Andrew D. (Purdue); (UC); (UIC)

    2012-02-21

    The design, synthesis, X-ray crystal structure, molecular modeling, and biological evaluation of a series of new generation SARS-CoV PLpro inhibitors are described. A new lead compound 3 (6577871) was identified via high-throughput screening of a diverse chemical library. Subsequently, we carried out lead optimization and structure-activity studies to provide a series of improved inhibitors that show potent PLpro inhibition and antiviral activity against SARS-CoV infected Vero E6 cells. Interestingly, the (S)-Me inhibitor 15h (enzyme IC{sub 50} = 0.56 {mu}M; antiviral EC{sub 50} = 9.1 {mu}M) and the corresponding (R)-Me 15g (IC{sub 50} = 0.32 {mu}M; antiviral EC{sub 50} = 9.1 {mu}M) are the most potent compounds in this series, with nearly equivalent enzymatic inhibition and antiviral activity. A protein-ligand X-ray structure of 15g-bound SARS-CoV PLpro and a corresponding model of 15h docked to PLpro provide intriguing molecular insight into the ligand-binding site interactions.

  12. In vitro antiviral activities of Caesalpinia pulcherrima and its related flavonoids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiang, L C; Chiang, W; Liu, M C; Lin, C C

    2003-08-01

    The aim of this study was to search for new antiviral agents from Chinese herbal medicine. Pure flavonoids and aqueous extracts of Caesalpinia pulcherrima Swartz were used in experiments to test their influence on a series of viruses, namely herpesviruses (HSV-1, HSV-2) and adenoviruses (ADV-3, ADV-8, ADV-11). The EC50 was defined as the concentration required to achieve 50% protection against virus-induced cytopathic effects, and the selectivity index (SI) was determined as the ratio of CC50 (concentration of 50% cellular cytotoxicity) to EC50. Results showed that aqueous extracts of C. pulcherrima and its related quercetin possessed a broad-spectrum antiviral activity. Among them, the strongest activities against ADV-8 were fruit and seed (EC50 = 41.2 mg/l, SI = 83.2), stem and leaf (EC50 = 61.8 mg/l, SI = 52.1) and flower (EC50 = 177.9 mg/l, SI = 15.5), whereas quercetin possessed the strongest anti-ADV-3 activity (EC50 = 24.3 mg/l, SI = 20.4). In conclusion, some compounds of C. pulcherrima which possess antiviral activities may be derived from the flavonoid of quercetin. The mode of action of quercetin against HSV-1 and ADV-3 was found to be at the early stage of multiplication and with SI values greater than 20, suggesting the potential use of this compound for treatment of the infection caused by these two viruses.

  13. Direct-acting antivirals for chronic hepatitis C

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jakobsen, Janus C; Nielsen, Emil Eik; Feinberg, Joshua

    2017-01-01

    and Drug Administration (FDA) (www.fda.gov), and pharmaceutical company sources for ongoing or unpublished trials. Searches were last run in October 2016. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised clinical trials comparing DAAs versus no intervention or placebo, alone or with co-interventions, in adults with chronic......BACKGROUND: Millions of people worldwide suffer from hepatitis C, which can lead to severe liver disease, liver cancer, and death. Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) are relatively new and expensive interventions for chronic hepatitis C, and preliminary results suggest that DAAs may eradicate...

  14. Diindolylmethane Derivatives: Potent Agonists of the Immunostimulatory Orphan G Protein-Coupled Receptor GPR84.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pillaiyar, Thanigaimalai; Köse, Meryem; Sylvester, Katharina; Weighardt, Heike; Thimm, Dominik; Borges, Gleice; Förster, Irmgard; von Kügelgen, Ivar; Müller, Christa E

    2017-05-11

    The G i protein-coupled receptor GPR84, which is activated by (hydroxy)fatty acids, is highly expressed on immune cells. Recently, 3,3'-diindolylmethane was identified as a heterocyclic, nonlipid-like GPR84 agonist. We synthesized a broad range of diindolylmethane derivatives by condensation of indoles with formaldehyde in water under microwave irradiation. The products were evaluated at the human GPR84 in cAMP and β-arrestin assays. Structure-activity relationships (SARs) were steep. 3,3'-Diindolylmethanes bearing small lipophilic residues at the 5- and/or 7-position of the indole rings displayed the highest activity in cAMP assays, the most potent agonists being di(5-fluoro-1H-indole-3-yl)methane (38, PSB-15160, EC 50 80.0 nM) and di(5,7-difluoro-1H-indole-3-yl)methane (57, PSB-16671, EC 50 41.3 nM). In β-arrestin assays, SARs were different, indicating biased agonism. The new compounds were selective versus related fatty acid receptors and the arylhydrocarbon receptor. Selected compounds were further investigated and found to display an ago-allosteric mechanism of action and increased stability in comparison to the lead structure.

  15. NSs Virulence Factor of Rift Valley Fever Virus Engages the F-Box Proteins FBXW11 and β-TRCP1 To Degrade the Antiviral Protein Kinase PKR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kainulainen, Markus; Lau, Simone; Samuel, Charles E; Hornung, Veit; Weber, Friedemann

    2016-07-01

    requires E3 ubiquitin ligase complexes of the SCF (Skp1, Cul1, F-box protein) type to destroy PKR. SCF-type complexes can engage variant ubiquitination substrate recognition subunits, and we found the F-box proteins FBXW11 and β-TRCP1 to be relevant for the action of NSs against PKR. Thus, we identified the host cell factors that are critically needed by Rift Valley fever virus to uphold its replication against the potent antiviral kinase PKR. Copyright © 2016 Kainulainen et al.

  16. Baseline MELD score predicts hepatic decompensation during antiviral therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C and advanced cirrhosis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Georg Dultz

    Full Text Available In patients with advanced liver cirrhosis due to chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV infection antiviral therapy with peginterferon and ribavirin is feasible in selected cases only due to potentially life-threatening side effects. However, predictive factors associated with hepatic decompensation during antiviral therapy are poorly defined.In a retrospective cohort study, 68 patients with HCV-associated liver cirrhosis (mean MELD score 9.18 ± 2.72 were treated with peginterferon and ribavirin. Clinical events indicating hepatic decompensation (onset of ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, hospitalization as well as laboratory data were recorded at baseline and during a follow up period of 72 weeks after initiation of antiviral therapy. To monitor long term sequelae of end stage liver disease an extended follow up for HCC development, transplantation and death was applied (240 weeks, ± SD 136 weeks.Eighteen patients (26.5% achieved a sustained virologic response. During the observational period a hepatic decompensation was observed in 36.8%. Patients with hepatic decompensation had higher MELD scores (10.84 vs. 8.23, p14, respectively. Baseline MELD score was significantly associated with the risk for transplantation/death (p<0.001.Our data suggest that the baseline MELD score predicts the risk of hepatic decompensation during antiviral therapy and thus contributes to decision making when antiviral therapy is discussed in HCV patients with advanced liver cirrhosis.

  17. Systems-Biology Approaches to Discover Anti-Viral Effectors of the Human Innate Immune Response

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andreas F.R. Sommer

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Virus infections elicit an immediate innate response involving antiviral factors. The activities of some of these factors are, in turn, blocked by viral countermeasures. The ensuing battle between the host and the viruses is crucial for determining whether the virus establishes a foothold and/or induces adaptive immune responses. A comprehensive systems-level understanding of the repertoire of anti-viral effectors in the context of these immediate virus-host responses would provide significant advantages in devising novel strategies to interfere with the initial establishment of infections. Recent efforts to identify cellular factors in a comprehensive and unbiased manner, using genome-wide siRNA screens and other systems biology “omics” methodologies, have revealed several potential anti-viral effectors for viruses like Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1, Hepatitis C virus (HCV, West Nile virus (WNV, and influenza virus. This review describes the discovery of novel viral restriction factors and discusses how the integration of different methods in systems biology can be used to more comprehensively identify the intimate interactions of viruses and the cellular innate resistance.

  18. The Denver Tube Combined with Antiviral Drugs In the Treatment of HBV-related Cirrhosis with Refractory Ascites: A Report of Three Cases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Xiao-jin

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Treatment of nucleos(tide antiviral drugs for decompensated HBV-related cirrhosis can significantly improve the prognosis. But those patients with refractory ascites possibly deteriorate due to the complications of ascites before any benefit from anti-viral drugs could be observed. Therefore, it is important to find a way to help the patients with HBV-related cirrhosis and refractory ascites to receive the full benefits from antiviral therapy. Peritoneovenous shunt (PVS using Denver tube enables ascites to continuously bypass into systemic circulation, thereby reducing ascites and albumin input and improving quality of life. We report herein 3 cases of decompensated HBV-related cirrhosis with refractory ascites, PVS using Denver tube was combined with lamivudine for antiviral treatment before and after. Then, ascites was alleviated significantly or disapeared and viral responsed well. All patients achieved a satisfactory long-term survival from 6.7 to 14.7 years. It was suggested that the Denver shunt could be used as an adjuvant method to antiviral drugs for decompensated HBV-related cirrhosis with refractory ascites to help the patients reap the full benefits and maximize efficacy of antiviral treatment.

  19. Discovery of dapivirine, a nonnucleoside HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitor, as a broad-spectrum antiviral against both influenza A and B viruses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Yanmei; Zhang, Jiantao; Musharrafieh, Rami Ghassan; Ma, Chunlong; Hau, Raymond; Wang, Jun

    2017-09-01

    The emergence of multidrug-resistant influenza viruses poses a persistent threat to public health. The current prophylaxis and therapeutic interventions for influenza virus infection have limited efficacy due to the continuous antigenic drift and antigenic shift of influenza viruses. As part of our ongoing effort to develop the next generation of influenza antivirals with broad-spectrum antiviral activity and a high genetic barrier to drug resistance, in this study we report the discovery of dapivirine, an FDA-approved HIV nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, as a broad-spectrum antiviral against multiple strains of influenza A and B viruses with low micromolar efficacy. Mechanistic studies revealed that dapivirine inhibits the nuclear entry of viral ribonucleoproteins at the early stage of viral replication. As a result, viral RNA and protein synthesis were inhibited. Furthermore, dapivirine has a high in vitro genetic barrier to drug resistance, and its antiviral activity is synergistic with oseltamivir carboxylate. In summary, the in vitro antiviral results of dapivirine suggest it is a promising candidate for the development of the next generation of dual influenza and HIV antivirals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. A review of machines and devices to potentize homeopathic medicines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Basu, Abhirup; Suresh, Akkihebbal Krishnamurthy; Kane, Shantaram Govind; Bellare, Jayesh Ramesh

    2017-11-01

    Potentization, consisting of serial dilution and succussion, is a key step in the manufacture of homeopathic medicines. Originally prescribed as a manual process, several attempts at mechanization have been published, patented and even commercialised in order to remove the human element and introduce reproducibility without drudgery. Various machines have been used over the years to prepare homeopathic medicines. Although these machines follow the same principles, i.e. energetically mixing the medicines and diluting them significantly, their mode of operation is different from each other. This review paper surveys the main methods of preparation of homeopathic medicines. The main machines discussed are: Boericke's potentizer, Tyler Kent's instrument, John Alphonse's machine and the fluxion potentizer, which were used in the past, as well as more recent potentizers like arm-and-weight instruments, the K-Tronic potentizer and Quinn's machine. We review the construction and operating principle of each of these machines, along with their advantages and limitations. A scheme for relative performance assessment of these machines is proposed based on the parameters mechanical efficiency, physico-chemical efficiency, turbulence generation, energy dissipation, and accuracy of dilution. Quinn's machine and the arm-and-weight potentizer perform well for generating turbulence due to high impaction forces, while John Alphonse's machine is much more accurate in diluting the homeopathic medicines at every step. Both the commercial potentizers, Quinn's machine and the K-Tronic potentizer, are completely automated and therefore reduce the manual labour and variation in succussive forces during each step, which may produce uniformity in physico-chemical changes within the resulting homeopathic medicines. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  1. Novel α,β-unsaturated amide derivatives bearing α-amino phosphonate moiety as potential antiviral agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lan, Xianmin; Xie, Dandan; Yin, Limin; Wang, Zhenzhen; Chen, Jin; Zhang, Awei; Song, Baoan; Hu, Deyu

    2017-09-15

    Based on flexible construction and broad bioactivity of ferulic acid, a series of novel α,β-unsaturated amide derivatives bearing α-aminophosphonate moiety were designed, synthesized and systematically evaluated for their antiviral activity. Bioassay results indicated that some compounds exhibited good antiviral activities against cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) and tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) in vivo. Especially, compound g18 showed excellent curative and protective activities against CMV, with half-maximal effective concentration (EC 50 ) values of 284.67μg/mL and 216.30μg/mL, which were obviously superior to that of Ningnanmycin (352.08μg/mL and 262.53μg/mL). Preliminary structure-activity relationships (SARs) analysis revealed that the introduction of electron-withdrawing group at the 2-position or 4-position of the aromatic ring is favorable for antiviral activity. Present work provides a promising template for development of potential inhibitor of plant virus. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Solute Carrier NTCP Regulates Innate Antiviral Immune Responses Targeting Hepatitis C Virus Infection of Hepatocytes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eloi R. Verrier

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Chronic hepatitis B, C, and D virus (HBV, HCV, and HDV infections are the leading causes of liver disease and cancer worldwide. Recently, the solute carrier and sodium taurocholate co-transporter NTCP has been identified as a receptor for HBV and HDV. Here, we uncover NTCP as a host factor regulating HCV infection. Using gain- and loss-of-function studies, we show that NTCP mediates HCV infection of hepatocytes and is relevant for cell-to-cell transmission. NTCP regulates HCV infection by augmenting the bile-acid-mediated repression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs, including IFITM3. In conclusion, our results uncover NTCP as a mediator of innate antiviral immune responses in the liver, and they establish a role for NTCP in the infection process of multiple viruses via distinct mechanisms. Collectively, our findings suggest a role for solute carriers in the regulation of innate antiviral responses, and they have potential implications for virus-host interactions and antiviral therapies.

  3. Antiviral Activities and Putative Identification of Compounds in Microbial Extracts from the Hawaiian Coastal Waters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuanan Lu

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Marine environments are a rich source of significant bioactive compounds. The Hawaiian archipelago, located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, hosts diverse microorganisms, including many endemic species. Thirty-eight microbial extracts from Hawaiian coastal waters were evaluated for their antiviral activity against four mammalian viruses including herpes simplex virus type one (HSV-1, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV, vaccinia virus and poliovirus type one (poliovirus-1 using in vitro cell culture assay. Nine of the 38 microbial crude extracts showed antiviral potencies and three of these nine microbial extracts exhibited significant activity against the enveloped viruses. A secosteroid, 5α(H,17α(H,(20R-beta-acetoxyergost-8(14-ene was putatively identified and confirmed to be the active compound in these marine microbial extracts. These results warrant future in-depth tests on the isolation of these active elements in order to explore and validate their antiviral potential as important therapeutic remedies.

  4. Herpesvirus infections in immunocompromised patients : treatment, treatment failure and antiviral resistance

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beek, Martha Trijntje van der

    2012-01-01

    The research described in this thesis aims to study determinants of the course and outcome of treatment of herpesvirus infections in immunocompromised patients. Both viral factors, such as antiviral resistance, and patient factors, including immunological parameters, were investigated. Techniques to

  5. Nanomedicine formulations for the delivery of antiviral drugs: a promising solution for the treatment of viral infections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lembo, David; Donalisio, Manuela; Civra, Andrea; Argenziano, Monica; Cavalli, Roberta

    2018-01-01

    Viral infections represent a public health problem and one of the leading causes of global mortality. Nanomedicine strategies can be considered a powerful tool to enhance the effectiveness of antiviral drugs, often associated with solubility and bioavailability issues. Consequently, high doses and frequent administrations are required, resulting in adverse side effects. To overcome these limitations, various nanomedicine platforms have been designed. Areas covered: This review focuses on the state of the art of organic-based nanoparticles for the delivery of approved antivirals. A brief description of the main characteristics of nanocarriers is followed by an overview of the most promising research addressing the treatment of most important viral infections. Expert opinion: The activity of antiviral drugs could be improved with nanomedicine formulations. Indeed, nanoparticles can affect the fate of the encapsulated drugs, allowing controlled release kinetics, enhanced bioavailability, modified pharmacokinetics, and reduced side effects. In addition, the physicochemical properties of nanocarriers can enable their capability to target specific sites and to interact with virus structures. In this regard, nanomedicines can be considered an opportunity to enhance the therapeutic index of antivirals. Efficacy, safety, and manufacturing issues need to be carefully assessed to bring this promising approach to the clinic.

  6. An Interferon Regulated MicroRNA Provides Broad Cell-Intrinsic Antiviral Immunity through Multihit Host-Directed Targeting of the Sterol Pathway.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kevin A Robertson

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available In invertebrates, small interfering RNAs are at the vanguard of cell-autonomous antiviral immunity. In contrast, antiviral mechanisms initiated by interferon (IFN signaling predominate in mammals. Whilst mammalian IFN-induced miRNA are known to inhibit specific viruses, it is not known whether host-directed microRNAs, downstream of IFN-signaling, have a role in mediating broad antiviral resistance. By performing an integrative, systematic, global analysis of RNA turnover utilizing 4-thiouridine labeling of newly transcribed RNA and pri/pre-miRNA in IFN-activated macrophages, we identify a new post-transcriptional viral defense mechanism mediated by miR-342-5p. On the basis of ChIP and site-directed promoter mutagenesis experiments, we find the synthesis of miR-342-5p is coupled to the antiviral IFN response via the IFN-induced transcription factor, IRF1. Strikingly, we find miR-342-5p targets mevalonate-sterol biosynthesis using a multihit mechanism suppressing the pathway at different functional levels: transcriptionally via SREBF2, post-transcriptionally via miR-33, and enzymatically via IDI1 and SC4MOL. Mass spectrometry-based lipidomics and enzymatic assays demonstrate the targeting mechanisms reduce intermediate sterol pathway metabolites and total cholesterol in macrophages. These results reveal a previously unrecognized mechanism by which IFN regulates the sterol pathway. The sterol pathway is known to be an integral part of the macrophage IFN antiviral response, and we show that miR-342-5p exerts broad antiviral effects against multiple, unrelated pathogenic viruses such Cytomegalovirus and Influenza A (H1N1. Metabolic rescue experiments confirm the specificity of these effects and demonstrate that unrelated viruses have differential mevalonate and sterol pathway requirements for their replication. This study, therefore, advances the general concept of broad antiviral defense through multihit targeting of a single host pathway.

  7. An Interferon Regulated MicroRNA Provides Broad Cell-Intrinsic Antiviral Immunity through Multihit Host-Directed Targeting of the Sterol Pathway

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robertson, Kevin A.; Hsieh, Wei Yuan; Forster, Thorsten; Blanc, Mathieu; Lu, Hongjin; Crick, Peter J.; Yutuc, Eylan; Watterson, Steven; Martin, Kimberly; Griffiths, Samantha J.; Enright, Anton J.; Yamamoto, Mami; Pradeepa, Madapura M.; Lennox, Kimberly A.; Behlke, Mark A.; Talbot, Simon; Haas, Jürgen; Dölken, Lars; Griffiths, William J.; Wang, Yuqin; Angulo, Ana; Ghazal, Peter

    2016-01-01

    In invertebrates, small interfering RNAs are at the vanguard of cell-autonomous antiviral immunity. In contrast, antiviral mechanisms initiated by interferon (IFN) signaling predominate in mammals. Whilst mammalian IFN-induced miRNA are known to inhibit specific viruses, it is not known whether host-directed microRNAs, downstream of IFN-signaling, have a role in mediating broad antiviral resistance. By performing an integrative, systematic, global analysis of RNA turnover utilizing 4-thiouridine labeling of newly transcribed RNA and pri/pre-miRNA in IFN-activated macrophages, we identify a new post-transcriptional viral defense mechanism mediated by miR-342-5p. On the basis of ChIP and site-directed promoter mutagenesis experiments, we find the synthesis of miR-342-5p is coupled to the antiviral IFN response via the IFN-induced transcription factor, IRF1. Strikingly, we find miR-342-5p targets mevalonate-sterol biosynthesis using a multihit mechanism suppressing the pathway at different functional levels: transcriptionally via SREBF2, post-transcriptionally via miR-33, and enzymatically via IDI1 and SC4MOL. Mass spectrometry-based lipidomics and enzymatic assays demonstrate the targeting mechanisms reduce intermediate sterol pathway metabolites and total cholesterol in macrophages. These results reveal a previously unrecognized mechanism by which IFN regulates the sterol pathway. The sterol pathway is known to be an integral part of the macrophage IFN antiviral response, and we show that miR-342-5p exerts broad antiviral effects against multiple, unrelated pathogenic viruses such Cytomegalovirus and Influenza A (H1N1). Metabolic rescue experiments confirm the specificity of these effects and demonstrate that unrelated viruses have differential mevalonate and sterol pathway requirements for their replication. This study, therefore, advances the general concept of broad antiviral defense through multihit targeting of a single host pathway. PMID:26938778

  8. Hedging against antiviral resistance during the next influenza pandemic using small stockpiles of an alternative chemotherapy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joseph T Wu

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available The effectiveness of single-drug antiviral interventions to reduce morbidity and mortality during the next influenza pandemic will be substantially weakened if transmissible strains emerge which are resistant to the stockpiled antiviral drugs. We developed a mathematical model to test the hypothesis that a small stockpile of a secondary antiviral drug could be used to mitigate the adverse consequences of the emergence of resistant strains.We used a multistrain stochastic transmission model of influenza to show that the spread of antiviral resistance can be significantly reduced by deploying a small stockpile (1% population coverage of a secondary drug during the early phase of local epidemics. We considered two strategies for the use of the secondary stockpile: early combination chemotherapy (ECC; individuals are treated with both drugs in combination while both are available; and sequential multidrug chemotherapy (SMC; individuals are treated only with the secondary drug until it is exhausted, then treated with the primary drug. We investigated all potentially important regions of unknown parameter space and found that both ECC and SMC reduced the cumulative attack rate (AR and the resistant attack rate (RAR unless the probability of emergence of resistance to the primary drug p(A was so low (less than 1 in 10,000 that resistance was unlikely to be a problem or so high (more than 1 in 20 that resistance emerged as soon as primary drug monotherapy began. For example, when the basic reproductive number was 1.8 and 40% of symptomatic individuals were treated with antivirals, AR and RAR were 67% and 38% under monotherapy if p(A = 0.01. If the probability of resistance emergence for the secondary drug was also 0.01, then SMC reduced AR and RAR to 57% and 2%. The effectiveness of ECC was similar if combination chemotherapy reduced the probabilities of resistance emergence by at least ten times. We extended our model using travel data between 105

  9. Antiviral activity of shikonin ester derivative PMM-034 against enterovirus 71 in vitro

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. Zhang

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Human enterovirus 71 (EV71 is the major causative agent of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD, particularly in infants and children below 4 years of age. Shikonin is a bioactive compound with anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antibacterial activities derived from the roots of the Chinese medicinal herb Lithospermum erythrorhizon. This study aimed to examine the antiviral activity of PMM-034, a shikonin ester derivative, against EV71 in rhabdomyosarcoma (RD cells. Cytotoxicity of PMM-034 on RD cells was determined using WST-1 assay. Dose- and time-dependent effects of PMM-034 on EV71 replication in RD cells were determined using plaque reduction assay. mRNA expression levels of EV71/VP1 and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α were determined by real-time RT-PCR, and EV71/VP1 and phospho-p65 protein expressions were determined by western blot analysis. PMM-034 exhibited only weak cytotoxicity against RD cells. However, PMM-034 exhibited significant antiviral activity against EV71 in RD cells with 50% inhibitory concentration of 2.31 μg/mL. The VP1 mRNA and protein levels were significantly reduced in cells treated with PMM-034. Furthermore, relative mRNA expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α significantly decreased in the cells treated with PMM-034, while the phospho-p65 protein expression was also significantly lower in the treated cells. These results indicated that PMM-034 suppressed the expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines in RD cells, exhibiting antiviral activity against EV71, as evidenced by the reduced VP1 mRNA and protein levels in PMM-034-treated cells. Thus, PMM-034 is a promising candidate for further development as an EV71 inhibitor.

  10. Factors affecting the purpose suppressive antiviral therapy for patients with recurrent genital herpes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. S. Коlova

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To study the factors that influence the destination of suppressive antiviral therapy in patients with recurrent genital herpes doctors of different specialties.Material and Methods: The study was conducted based on an anonymous survey of professionals providing medical care to patients with genital herpes. The survey involved 67 experts – 44 dermatologist, 13 obstetricians and 10 urologists working in Skin and Venereal Diseases, Women’s consuitation post and Saint Petersburg clinics.Results: Most respondents indicated that among patients with genital herpes, seeking an appointment, dominated by patients with relapsing nature of the disease. Suppressive antiviral therapy is recommended 68,7% of specialists, including dermatologists 61,3%, 84,6% of obstetricians and gynecologists, and 80% of urologists. The main indications for its experts consider high frequency of relapses, the patient’s tendency to promiscuity, the desire of the patient with fewer relapses, and the emotional response of the patient for the presence of the disease. Do not prescribe suppressive therapy for recurrent genital herpes 31,4% of the doctors surveyed. Among the reasons for which are not appointed by the type of treatment, the patient is dominated by the rejection of this type of treatment, the lack of experience of the destination suppressive therapy, as well as the uncertainty of specialists in its effectiveness.Conclusion: Suppressive antiviral therapy is recommended 68,7% of specialists. Do not prescribe this type of treatment for recurrent genital herpes 31,4% of the doctors surveyed. The proportion of professionals who refuse the appointment of suppressive antiviral therapy, the highest among dermatologists (38,7% compared with 15,4% among obstetricians and 20% of urologists. The most frequent grounds for refusal from this type of treatment is the lack of confidence in its effectiveness. 

  11. The effect of display movement angle, indicator type and display location on control/display stereotype strength.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffmann, Errol R; Chan, Alan H S

    2017-08-01

    Much research on stereotype strength relating display and control movements for displays moving in the vertical or horizontal directions has been reported. Here we report effects of display movement angle, where the display moves at angles (relative to the vertical) of between 0° and 180°. The experiment used six different controls, four display locations relative to the operator and three types of indicator. Indicator types were included because of the strong effects of the 'scale-side principle' that are variable with display angle. A directional indicator had higher stereotype strength than a neutral indicator, and showed an apparent reversal in control/display stereotype direction beyond an angle of 90°. However, with a neutral indicator this control reversal was not present. Practitioner Summary: The effects of display moving at angles other than the four cardinal directions, types of control, location of display and types of indicator are investigated. Indicator types (directional and neutral) have an effect on stereotype strength and may cause an apparent control reversal with change of display movement angle.

  12. Antivirals Use During the Pandemic H1N1 2009 Outbreak

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2012-01-23

    Charisma Atkins, CDC public health analyst, discusses antiviral use during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic flu outbreak.  Created: 1/23/2012 by National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID).   Date Released: 1/23/2012.

  13. Discovery of novel piperidine-substituted indolylarylsulfones as potent HIV NNRTIs via structure-guided scaffold morphing and fragment rearrangement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xiao; Gao, Ping; Huang, Boshi; Zhou, Zhongxia; Yu, Zhao; Yuan, Zheng; Liu, Huiqing; Pannecouque, Christophe; Daelemans, Dirk; De Clercq, Erik; Zhan, Peng; Liu, Xinyong

    2017-01-27

    To further explore the chemical space around the entrance channel of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT), a series of novel indolylarylsulfones (IASs) bearing N-substituted piperidine at indole-2-carboxamide were identified as potent HIV NNRTIs by structure-guided scaffold morphing and fragment rearrangement. All the IASs exhibited moderate to excellent potency against wild-type HIV-1 with EC 50 values ranging from 0.62 μM to 0.006 μM 8 (EC 50  = 6 nM) and 18 (EC 50  = 9 nM) were identified as the most potent compounds, which were more active than NVP and DLV, and reached the same order of EFV and ETV. Furthermore, most compounds maintained high activity agaist various single HIV-1 mutants (L100I, K103N, E138K, Y181C) as well as one double mutant (F227L/V106A) with EC 50 values in low-micromolar to double-digit nanomolar concentration ranges. Especially, 8 displayed outstanding potency against L100I (EC 50  = 17 nM with a 2.8-fold resistance ratio) and 18 was relatively more potent to E138K mutant (EC 50  = 43 nM with a 4.7-fold resistance ratio). Preliminary SARs and molecular modeling studies were also discussed in detail, which may provide valuable insights for further optimization. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  14. Nuclear trafficking of proteins from RNA viruses: potential target for antivirals?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caly, Leon; Wagstaff, Kylie M; Jans, David A

    2012-09-01

    A key aspect of the infectious cycle of many viruses is the transport of specific viral proteins into the host cell nucleus to perturb the antiviral response. Examples include a number of RNA viruses that are significant human pathogens, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1, influenza A, dengue, respiratory syncytial virus and rabies, as well agents that predominantly infect livestock, such as Rift valley fever virus and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus. Inhibiting the nuclear trafficking of viral proteins as a therapeutic strategy offers an attractive possibility, with important recent progress having been made with respect to HIV-1 and dengue. The results validate nuclear protein import as an antiviral target, and suggest the identification and development of nuclear transport inhibitors as a viable therapeutic approach for a range of human and zoonotic pathogenic viruses. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. The role of CC chemokine receptor 5 in antiviral immunity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nansen, Anneline; Christensen, Jan Pravsgaard; Andreasen, Susanne Ørding

    2002-01-01

    The CC chemokine receptor CCR5 is an important coreceptor for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and there is a major thrust to develop anti-CCR5-based therapies for HIV-1. However, it is not known whether CCR5 is critical for a normal antiviral T-cell response. This study investigated the immune...

  16. Antagonism of the Sodium-Potassium ATPase Impairs Chikungunya Virus Infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alison W. Ashbrook

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Chikungunya virus (CHIKV is a reemerging alphavirus that has caused epidemics of fever, arthralgia, and rash worldwide. There are currently no licensed vaccines or antiviral therapies available for the prevention or treatment of CHIKV disease. We conducted a high-throughput, chemical compound screen that identified digoxin, a cardiac glycoside that blocks the sodium-potassium ATPase, as a potent inhibitor of CHIKV infection. Treatment of human cells with digoxin or a related cardiac glycoside, ouabain, resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in infection by CHIKV. Inhibition by digoxin was cell type-specific, as digoxin treatment of either murine or mosquito cells did not diminish CHIKV infection. Digoxin displayed antiviral activity against other alphaviruses, including Ross River virus and Sindbis virus, as well as mammalian reovirus and vesicular stomatitis virus. The digoxin-mediated block to CHIKV and reovirus infection occurred at one or more postentry steps, as digoxin inhibition was not bypassed by fusion of CHIKV at the plasma membrane or infection with cell surface-penetrating reovirus entry intermediates. Selection of digoxin-resistant CHIKV variants identified multiple mutations in the nonstructural proteins required for replication complex formation and synthesis of viral RNA. These data suggest a role for the sodium-potassium ATPase in promoting postentry steps of CHIKV replication and provide rationale for modulation of this pathway as a broad-spectrum antiviral strategy.

  17. SNX-25a, a novel Hsp90 inhibitor, inhibited human cancer growth more potently than 17-AAG.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Shaoxiang; Wang, Xiao; Du, Zhan; Liu, Yuting; Huang, Dane; Zheng, Kai; Liu, Kaisheng; Zhang, Yi; Zhong, Xueyun; Wang, Yifei

    2014-07-18

    17-Allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG), a typical Hsp90 inhibitor derived from geldanamycin (GA), has entered Phase III clinical trials for cancer therapy. However, it has several significant limitations such as poor solubility, limited bioavailability and unacceptable hepatotoxicity. In this study, the anticancer activity and mechanism of SNX-25a, a novel Hsp90 inhibitor, was investigated comparing with that of 17-AAG. We showed that SNX-25a triggered growth inhibition more sensitively than 17-AAG against many human cancer cells, including K562, SW-620, A375, Hep-2, MCF-7, HepG2, HeLa, and A549 cell lines, especially at low concentrations (AAG, SNX-25a was more potent in arresting the cell cycle at G2 phase, and displayed more potent effects on human cancer cell apoptosis and Hsp90 client proteins. It also exhibited a stronger binding affinity to Hsp90 than 17-AAG using molecular docking. Considering the superiority effects on Hsp90 affinity, cell growth, cell cycle, apoptosis, and Hsp90 client proteins, SNX-25a is supposed as a potential anticancer agent that needs to be explored in detail. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Viral Response to Specifically Targeted Antiviral Therapy for Hepatitis C and the Implications for Treatment Success

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Curtis L Cooper

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Currently, hepatitis C virus (HCV antiviral therapy is characterized by long duration, a multitude of side effects, difficult administration and suboptimal success; clearly, alternatives are needed. Collectively, specifically targeted antiviral therapy for HCV (STAT-C molecules achieve rapid viral suppression and very high rapid virological response rates, and improve sustained virological response rates. The attrition rate of agents within this class has been high due to various toxicities. Regardless, several STAT-C molecules are poised to become the standard of care for HCV treatment in the foreseeable future. Optimism must be tempered with concerns related to the rapid development of drug resistance with resulting HCV rebound. Strategies including induction dosing with interferon and ribavirin, use of combination high-potency STAT-C molecules and an intensive emphasis on adherence to HCV antiviral therapy will be critical to the success of this promising advance in HCV therapy.

  19. Direct Acting Antivirals in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C and Down Syndrome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eric R. Yoo

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Patients with Down syndrome who received blood transfusions, likely in conjunction with cardiothoracic surgery for congenital heart disease and prior to the implementation of blood-donor screening for hepatitis C virus infection, face a substantial risk of acquiring the infection. In the past, interferon-based therapy for chronic hepatitis C infection in patients with Down syndrome was noted to have lower efficacy and potentially higher risk of adverse effects. Recently, the treatment for chronic hepatitis C has been revolutionized with the introduction of interferon-free direct acting antivirals with favorable safety, tolerability, and efficacy profile. Based on our experiences, the newly approved sofosbuvir-based direct acting antiviral therapy is well tolerated and highly efficacious in this subpopulation of hepatitis C virus infected patients with Down syndrome.

  20. Evidence-based guideline update: steroids and antivirals for Bell palsy: report of the Guideline Development Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gronseth, Gary S; Paduga, Remia

    2012-11-27

    To review evidence published since the 2001 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) practice parameter regarding the effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of steroids and antiviral agents for Bell palsy. We searched Medline and the Cochrane Database of Controlled Clinical Trials for studies published since January 2000 that compared facial functional outcomes in patients with Bell palsy receiving steroids/antivirals with patients not receiving these medications. We graded each study (Class I-IV) using the AAN therapeutic classification of evidence scheme. We compared the proportion of patients recovering facial function in the treated group with the proportion of patients recovering facial function in the control group. Nine studies published since June 2000 on patients with Bell palsy receiving steroids/antiviral agents were identified. Two of these studies were rated Class I because of high methodologic quality. For patients with new-onset Bell palsy, steroids are highly likely to be effective and should be offered to increase the probability of recovery of facial nerve function (2 Class I studies, Level A) (risk difference 12.8%-15%). For patients with new-onset Bell palsy, antiviral agents in combination with steroids do not increase the probability of facial functional recovery by >7%. Because of the possibility of a modest increase in recovery, patients might be offered antivirals (in addition to steroids) (Level C). Patients offered antivirals should be counseled that a benefit from antivirals has not been established, and, if there is a benefit, it is likely that it is modest at best.

  1. EVALUATION OF EFFECTIVENESS OF ANTIVIRAL THERAPY FOR CHRONIC HEPATITIS C, CAUSED BY HCV GENOTYPE 6

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. A. Lioznov

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: Evaluating the effectiveness of 2 therapeutic schemes for chronic hepatitis C (genotype 6 which combined sofosbuvir and ribavirin, one of them also included pegylated interferon. Materials and methods: The study included 110 patients with chronic hepatitis C (genotype 6, who have undergone antiviral therapy (HTP in Hepatology Clinic inHo Chi Minh City,Vietnamfrom November 2015 to July 2016. 24 patients were treated by Pegylated interferon alfa-2a, ribavirin and sofosbuvir for 12 weeks, 86 patients – by sofosbuvir and ribavirin for 24 weeks. Non-interferon regimen was administered primarily to patients with contraindications to the use of interferon. To monitor the effectiveness of antiviral therapy, quantification of HCV RNA in serum was performed by PCR prior to treatment, at 4th, 12th or 24th week (depending on the observation group from the starting of treatment and at 12th, 24th week after completion of treatment. Results: All patients, who were treated with pegylated interferon, ribavirin and sofosbuvir, completed the full course of treatment and 100% of them are registered with sustained virological response at 12th and 24th week after the end of antiviral therapy (SVR-12 and SVR-24, respectively. In the group of patients, who treated with ribavirin and sofosbuvir, 97,7% of patients completed full course of treatment (SVR-12 was registered in 93% of patients, and SVR-24 – in 91,9% of patients. Of 75 patients without a history of HCC, SVR24 was registered in 74 people (98,7%, of 11 patients with HCC – in 5 patients (45,5%. SVR-24 was registered in 98% of patients with cirrhosis (F4 without HCC. Conclusion: The results can serve as a justification for the use of these schemes of antiviral therapy for special groups of patients and/or conditions when it is impossible to follow the latest recommendations, which will help to expand the access of patients to effective antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C.

  2. Antiviral activity of Justicia gendarussa Burm.f. leaves against HIV ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Backgrounds: Justicia gendarussa Burm.f. has been known to have anti-HIV activity. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of incubation time on the antiviral activity of the J. gendarussa leaves extract on HIV-infected MT-4 cells in vitro. Molecular docking test was also conducted to determine the interaction of ...

  3. Clinical features and effect of antiviral therapy on anti-liver/kidney microsomal antibody type 1 positive chronic hepatitis C.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferri, Silvia; Muratori, Luigi; Quarneti, Chiara; Muratori, Paolo; Menichella, Rita; Pappas, Georgios; Granito, Alessandro; Ballardini, Giorgio; Bianchi, Francesco B; Lenzi, Marco

    2009-06-01

    Anti-liver/kidney microsomal antibody type 1 (anti-LKM1), a serological marker of type 2 autoimmune hepatitis, is also detected in a small proportion of patients with hepatitis C. This study aimed to evaluate clinical features and effect of antiviral therapy in patients with hepatitis C who are anti-LKM1 positive. Sixty consecutive anti-LKM1 positive and 120 age and sex-matched anti-LKM1 negative chronic hepatitis C patients were assessed at diagnosis and during follow-up. Of these, 26 anti-LKM1 positive and 72 anti-LKM1 negative received antiviral therapy. Anti-LKM1 was detected by indirect immunofluorescence and immunoblot. Number of HCV-infected hepatocytes and intrahepatic CD8+ lymphocytes was determined by immunohistochemistry. At diagnosis anti-LKM1 positive patients had higher IgG levels and more intrahepatic CD8+ lymphocytes (p 0.022 and 0.046, respectively). Viral genotypes distribution and response to therapy were identical. Hepatic flares during antiviral treatment only occurred in a minority of patients in concomitance with anti-LKM1 positivity. Immune system activation is more pronounced in anti-LKM1 positive patients with hepatitis C, possibly representing the expression of autoimmune mechanisms of liver damage. Antiviral treatment is as beneficial in these patients as in anti-LKM1 negative patients, and the rare necroinflammatory flares are effectively controlled by corticosteroids, allowing subsequent resumption of antiviral therapy.

  4. Oscillations in serum ferritin associated with antiviral therapy in chronic hepatitis C Oscilaciones de la ferritina sérica asociadas al tratamiento antiviral en la hepatitis crónica por virus C

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. M. Ladero

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: hyperferritinemia is often found in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC and is predictive of poorer response to antiviral therapy. Objective: to investigate changes in ferritinemia during and after antiviral therapy. Patients and methods: serum ferritin levels were measured in 262 CHC patients (163 males, mean age 48.5 years ± 10.1 before and during antiviral therapy, and six months post-treatment in all 154 patients whit undetectable serum HCV-RNA after therapy completion. Results: baseline serum ferritin was higher in patients with primary therapeutic failure than in those reaching sustained viral response (330 ± 291 ng/mL vs. 211 ± 192 ng/mL, p = 0.002. Serum ferritin transiently increased during therapy from baseline (257 ± 242 ng/mL vs. 875 ± 630 ng/mL, p Antecedentes: la hiperferritinemia es frecuente en los enfermos con hepatitis crónica C (HCC y reduce las probabilidades de respuesta al tratamiento antiviral. Objetivo: investigar las variaciones de la ferritina sérica durante y después del tratamiento y su relación con la respuesta al mismo. Pacientes y métodos: la ferritina sérica se ha medido en 262 enfermos con HCC (163 hombres, edad media 48,5 años ± 10,1 antes y durante el tratamiento antiviral, y a los 6 meses de finalizado en los 154 enfermos con viremia indetectable al final del tratamiento. Resultados: la ferritina sérica basal era más alta en enfermos con fracaso terapéutico primario que en los que consiguieron respuesta viral sostenida (RVS (330 ± 291 ng/ml vs. 211 ± 192 ng/ml, p = 0,002. La ferritina sérica aumentó transitoriamente durante el tratamiento (257 ± 242 ng/ml vs. 875 ± 630 ng/ml, p < 0,001. La ferritina sérica descendió a valores inferiores a los basales seis meses después de finalizado el tratamiento en los pacientes con RVS (117 ± 102 ng/ml vs. 211± 192 ng/ml, p < 0,001 y, en menor grado, en los que sufrieron recidiva viral (217 ± 174 ng/ml vs. 257 ± 221 ng/m, p = 0

  5. Imaging analysis of nuclear antiviral factors through direct detection of incoming adenovirus genome complexes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Komatsu, Tetsuro [Microbiologie Fondamentale et Pathogénicité, MFP CNRS UMR 5234, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux 33076 (France); Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8575 (Japan); Will, Hans [Department of Tumor Biology, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg (Germany); Nagata, Kyosuke [Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8575 (Japan); Wodrich, Harald, E-mail: harald.wodrich@u-bordeaux.fr [Microbiologie Fondamentale et Pathogénicité, MFP CNRS UMR 5234, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux 33076 (France)

    2016-04-22

    Recent studies involving several viral systems have highlighted the importance of cellular intrinsic defense mechanisms through nuclear antiviral proteins that restrict viral propagation. These factors include among others components of PML nuclear bodies, the nuclear DNA sensor IFI16, and a potential restriction factor PHF13/SPOC1. For several nuclear replicating DNA viruses, it was shown that these factors sense and target viral genomes immediately upon nuclear import. In contrast to the anticipated view, we recently found that incoming adenoviral genomes are not targeted by PML nuclear bodies. Here we further explored cellular responses against adenoviral infection by focusing on specific conditions as well as additional nuclear antiviral factors. In line with our previous findings, we show that neither interferon treatment nor the use of specific isoforms of PML nuclear body components results in co-localization between incoming adenoviral genomes and the subnuclear domains. Furthermore, our imaging analyses indicated that neither IFI16 nor PHF13/SPOC1 are likely to target incoming adenoviral genomes. Thus our findings suggest that incoming adenoviral genomes may be able to escape from a large repertoire of nuclear antiviral mechanisms, providing a rationale for the efficient initiation of lytic replication cycle. - Highlights: • Host nuclear antiviral factors were analyzed upon adenovirus genome delivery. • Interferon treatments fail to permit PML nuclear bodies to target adenoviral genomes. • Neither Sp100A nor B targets adenoviral genomes despite potentially opposite roles. • The nuclear DNA sensor IFI16 does not target incoming adenoviral genomes. • PHF13/SPOC1 targets neither incoming adenoviral genomes nor genome-bound protein VII.

  6. Imaging analysis of nuclear antiviral factors through direct detection of incoming adenovirus genome complexes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Komatsu, Tetsuro; Will, Hans; Nagata, Kyosuke; Wodrich, Harald

    2016-01-01

    Recent studies involving several viral systems have highlighted the importance of cellular intrinsic defense mechanisms through nuclear antiviral proteins that restrict viral propagation. These factors include among others components of PML nuclear bodies, the nuclear DNA sensor IFI16, and a potential restriction factor PHF13/SPOC1. For several nuclear replicating DNA viruses, it was shown that these factors sense and target viral genomes immediately upon nuclear import. In contrast to the anticipated view, we recently found that incoming adenoviral genomes are not targeted by PML nuclear bodies. Here we further explored cellular responses against adenoviral infection by focusing on specific conditions as well as additional nuclear antiviral factors. In line with our previous findings, we show that neither interferon treatment nor the use of specific isoforms of PML nuclear body components results in co-localization between incoming adenoviral genomes and the subnuclear domains. Furthermore, our imaging analyses indicated that neither IFI16 nor PHF13/SPOC1 are likely to target incoming adenoviral genomes. Thus our findings suggest that incoming adenoviral genomes may be able to escape from a large repertoire of nuclear antiviral mechanisms, providing a rationale for the efficient initiation of lytic replication cycle. - Highlights: • Host nuclear antiviral factors were analyzed upon adenovirus genome delivery. • Interferon treatments fail to permit PML nuclear bodies to target adenoviral genomes. • Neither Sp100A nor B targets adenoviral genomes despite potentially opposite roles. • The nuclear DNA sensor IFI16 does not target incoming adenoviral genomes. • PHF13/SPOC1 targets neither incoming adenoviral genomes nor genome-bound protein VII.

  7. Mechanisms of Hepatitis C Viral Resistance to Direct Acting Antivirals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asma Ahmed

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available There has been a remarkable transformation in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in recent years with the development of direct acting antiviral agents targeting virus encoded proteins important for viral replication including NS3/4A, NS5A and NS5B. These agents have shown high sustained viral response (SVR rates of more than 90% in phase 2 and phase 3 clinical trials; however, this is slightly lower in real-life cohorts. Hepatitis C virus resistant variants are seen in most patients who do not achieve SVR due to selection and outgrowth of resistant hepatitis C virus variants within a given host. These resistance associated mutations depend on the class of direct-acting antiviral drugs used and also vary between hepatitis C virus genotypes and subtypes. The understanding of these mutations has a clear clinical implication in terms of choice and combination of drugs used. In this review, we describe mechanism of action of currently available drugs and summarize clinically relevant resistance data.

  8. Activation of Nrf2 Signaling Augments Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Oncolysis via Autophagy-Driven Suppression of Antiviral Immunity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olagnier, David; Lababidi, Rassin R; Hadj, Samar Bel; Sze, Alexandre; Liu, Yiliu; Naidu, Sharadha Dayalan; Ferrari, Matteo; Jiang, Yuan; Chiang, Cindy; Beljanski, Vladimir; Goulet, Marie-Line; Knatko, Elena V; Dinkova-Kostova, Albena T; Hiscott, John; Lin, Rongtuan

    2017-08-02

    Oncolytic viruses (OVs) offer a promising therapeutic approach to treat multiple types of cancer. In this study, we show that the manipulation of the antioxidant network via transcription factor Nrf2 augments vesicular stomatitis virus Δ51 (VSVΔ51) replication and sensitizes cancer cells to viral oncolysis. Activation of Nrf2 signaling by the antioxidant compound sulforaphane (SFN) leads to enhanced VSVΔ51 spread in OV-resistant cancer cells and improves the therapeutic outcome in different murine syngeneic and xenograft tumor models. Chemoresistant A549 lung cancer cells that display constitutive dominant hyperactivation of Nrf2 signaling are particularly vulnerable to VSVΔ51 oncolysis. Mechanistically, enhanced Nrf2 signaling stimulated viral replication in cancer cells and disrupted the type I IFN response via increased autophagy. This study reveals a previously unappreciated role for Nrf2 in the regulation of autophagy and the innate antiviral response that complements the therapeutic potential of VSV-directed oncolysis against multiple types of OV-resistant or chemoresistant cancer. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. The interferon response circuit in antiviral host defense.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haller, O; Weber, F

    2009-01-01

    Viruses have learned to multiply in the face of a powerful innate and adaptive immune response of the host. They have evolved multiple strategies to evade the interferon (IFN) system which would otherwise limit virus growth at an early stage of infection. IFNs induce the synthesis of a range of antiviral proteins which serve as cell-autonomous intrinsic restriction factors. For example, the dynamin-like MxA GTPase inhibits the multiplication of influenza and bunyaviruses (such as La Crosse virus, Hantaan virus, Rift Valley Fever virus, and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus) by binding and sequestering the nucleocapsid protein into large perinuclear complexes. To overcome such intracellular restrictions, virulent viruses either inhibit IFN synthesis, bind and inactivate secreted IFN molecules, block IFN-activated signaling, or disturb the action of IFN-induced antiviral proteins. Many viruses produce specialized proteins to disarm the danger signal or express virulence genes that target members of the IFN regulatory factor family (IRFs) or components of the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. An alternative evasion strategy is based on extreme viral replication speed which out-competes the IFN response. The identification of viral proteins with IFN antagonistic functions has great implications for disease prevention and therapy. Virus mutants lacking IFN antagonistic properties represent safe yet highly immunogenic candidate vaccines. Furthermore, novel drugs intercepting viral IFN-antagonists could be used to disarm the viral intruders.

  10. Dextrans produced by lactic acid bacteria exhibit antiviral and immunomodulatory activity against salmonid viruses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nácher-Vázquez, Montserrat; Ballesteros, Natalia; Canales, Ángeles; Rodríguez Saint-Jean, Sylvia; Pérez-Prieto, Sara Isabel; Prieto, Alicia; Aznar, Rosa; López, Paloma

    2015-06-25

    Viral infections in the aquaculture of salmonids can lead to high mortality and substantial economic losses. Thus, there is industrial interest in new molecules active against these viruses. Here we describe the production, purification, and the physicochemical and structural characterization of high molecular weight dextrans synthesized by Lactobacillus sakei MN1 and Leuconostoc mesenteroides RTF10. The purified dextrans, and commercial dextrans with molecular weights ranging from 10 to 2000kDa, were assayed in infected BF-2 and EPC fish cell-line monolayers for antiviral activity. Only T2000 and dextrans from MN1 and RTF10 had significant antiviral activity. This was similar to results obtained against infectious pancreatic necrosis virus. However the dextran from MN1 showed ten-fold higher activity against hematopoietic necrosis virus than T2000. In vivo assays using the MN1 polymer confirmed the in vitro results and revealed immunomodulatory activity. These results together with the high levels of dextran production (2gL(-1)) by Lb. sakei MN1, indicate the compounds potential utility as an antiviral agent in aquaculture. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. A heritable antiviral RNAi response limits Orsay virus infection in Caenorhabditis elegans N2.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark G Sterken

    Full Text Available Orsay virus (OrV is the first virus known to be able to complete a full infection cycle in the model nematode species Caenorhabditis elegans. OrV is transmitted horizontally and its infection is limited by antiviral RNA interference (RNAi. However, we have no insight into the kinetics of OrV replication in C. elegans. We developed an assay that infects worms in liquid, allowing precise monitoring of the infection. The assay revealed a dual role for the RNAi response in limiting Orsay virus infection in C. elegans. Firstly, it limits the progression of the initial infection at the step of recognition of dsRNA. Secondly, it provides an inherited protection against infection in the offspring. This establishes the heritable RNAi response as anti-viral mechanism during OrV infections in C. elegans. Our results further illustrate that the inheritance of the anti-viral response is important in controlling the infection in the canonical wild type Bristol N2. The OrV replication kinetics were established throughout the worm life-cycle, setting a standard for further quantitative assays with the OrV-C. elegans infection model.

  12. Antiviral therapy: a perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shahidi Bonjar AH

    2016-02-01

    s recovery to a large extent depends on their general health status. EVAC would be for single use and appropriately disposed of after each detoxification procedure. When sufficient research has yielded positive results in animal models, EVAC could be used as a supportive treatment in humans along with conventional antiviral therapies. EVAC would not be suitable for all viral infections, but could be expected to decrease the casualties resulting from blood-borne viral infections. The EVAC approach would be efficient in terms of time, effort, and expenditure in the research and treatment of blood-borne viral infections. Keywords: blood, virus, infection, antiviral, sepsis, HIV, Ebola

  13. Transgenic Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat/Cas9-Mediated Viral Gene Targeting for Antiviral Therapy of Bombyx mori Nucleopolyhedrovirus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Shuqing; Hou, Chengxiang; Bi, Honglun; Wang, Yueqiang; Xu, Jun; Li, Muwang; James, Anthony A; Huang, Yongping; Tan, Anjiang

    2017-04-15

    We developed a novel antiviral strategy by combining transposon-based transgenesis and the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated 9 (Cas9) system for the direct cleavage of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) genome DNA to promote virus clearance in silkworms. We demonstrate that transgenic silkworms constitutively expressing Cas9 and guide RNAs targeting the BmNPV immediate early-1 ( ie-1 ) and me53 genes effectively induce target-specific cleavage and subsequent mutagenesis, especially large (∼7-kbp) segment deletions in BmNPV genomes, and thus exhibit robust suppression of BmNPV proliferation. Transgenic animals exhibited higher and inheritable resistance to BmNPV infection than wild-type animals. Our approach will not only contribute to modern sericulture but also shed light on future antiviral therapy. IMPORTANCE Pathogen genome targeting has shown its potential in antiviral research. However, transgenic CRISPR/Cas9 system-mediated viral genome targeting has not been reported as an antiviral strategy in a natural animal host of a virus. Our data provide an effective approach against BmNPV infection in a real-world biological system and demonstrate the potential of transgenic CRISPR/Cas9 systems in antiviral research in other species. Copyright © 2017 Chen et al.

  14. Antiviral lectins from red and blue-green algae show potent in vitro and in vivo activity against hepatitis C virus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yutaka Takebe

    Full Text Available Hepatitis C virus (HCV infection is a significant public health problem with over 170,000,000 chronic carriers and infection rates increasing worldwide. Chronic HCV infection is one of the leading causes of hepatocellular carcinoma which was estimated to result in ∼10,000 deaths in the United States in the year 2011. Current treatment options for HCV infection are limited to PEG-ylated interferon alpha (IFN-α, the nucleoside ribavirin and the recently approved HCV protease inhibitors telaprevir and boceprevir. Although showing significantly improved efficacy over the previous therapies, treatment with protease inhibitors has been shown to result in the rapid emergence of drug-resistant virus. Here we report the activity of two proteins, originally isolated from natural product extracts, which demonstrate low or sub-nanomolar in vitro activity against both genotype I and genotype II HCV. These proteins inhibit viral infectivity, binding to the HCV envelope glycoproteins E1 and E2 and block viral entry into human hepatocytes. In addition, we demonstrate that the most potent of these agents, the protein griffithsin, is readily bioavailable after subcutaneous injection and shows significant in vivo efficacy in reducing HCV viral titers in a mouse model system with engrafted human hepatocytes. These results indicate that HCV viral entry inhibitors can be an effective component of anti-HCV therapy and that these proteins should be studied further for their therapeutic potential.

  15. RNAi: antiviral therapy against dengue virus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Idrees, Sobia; Ashfaq, Usman A

    2013-03-01

    Dengue virus infection has become a global threat affecting around 100 countries in the world. Currently, there is no licensed antiviral agent available against dengue. Thus, there is a strong need to develop therapeutic strategies that can tackle this life threatening disease. RNA interference is an important and effective gene silencing process which degrades targeted RNA by a sequence specific process. Several studies have been conducted during the last decade to evaluate the efficiency of siRNA in inhibiting dengue virus replication. This review summarizes siRNAs as a therapeutic approach against dengue virus serotypes and concludes that siRNAs against virus and host genes can be next generation treatment of dengue virus infection.

  16. Solute Carrier NTCP Regulates Innate Antiviral Immune Responses Targeting Hepatitis C Virus Infection of Hepatocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verrier, Eloi R; Colpitts, Che C; Bach, Charlotte; Heydmann, Laura; Zona, Laetitia; Xiao, Fei; Thumann, Christine; Crouchet, Emilie; Gaudin, Raphaël; Sureau, Camille; Cosset, François-Loïc; McKeating, Jane A; Pessaux, Patrick; Hoshida, Yujin; Schuster, Catherine; Zeisel, Mirjam B; Baumert, Thomas F

    2016-10-25

    Chronic hepatitis B, C, and D virus (HBV, HCV, and HDV) infections are the leading causes of liver disease and cancer worldwide. Recently, the solute carrier and sodium taurocholate co-transporter NTCP has been identified as a receptor for HBV and HDV. Here, we uncover NTCP as a host factor regulating HCV infection. Using gain- and loss-of-function studies, we show that NTCP mediates HCV infection of hepatocytes and is relevant for cell-to-cell transmission. NTCP regulates HCV infection by augmenting the bile-acid-mediated repression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), including IFITM3. In conclusion, our results uncover NTCP as a mediator of innate antiviral immune responses in the liver, and they establish a role for NTCP in the infection process of multiple viruses via distinct mechanisms. Collectively, our findings suggest a role for solute carriers in the regulation of innate antiviral responses, and they have potential implications for virus-host interactions and antiviral therapies. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Imidazopyridine-Based Fatty Acid Synthase Inhibitors That Show Anti-HCV Activity and in Vivo Target Modulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oslob, Johan D; Johnson, Russell J; Cai, Haiying; Feng, Shirley Q; Hu, Lily; Kosaka, Yuko; Lai, Julie; Sivaraja, Mohanram; Tep, Samnang; Yang, Hanbiao; Zaharia, Cristiana A; Evanchik, Marc J; McDowell, Robert S

    2013-01-10

    Potent imidazopyridine-based inhibitors of fatty acid synthase (FASN) are described. The compounds are shown to have antiviral (HCV replicon) activities that track with their biochemical activities. The most potent analogue (compound 19) also inhibits rat FASN and inhibits de novo palmitate synthesis in vitro (cell-based) as well as in vivo.

  18. Potent Inhibition of Feline Coronaviruses with Peptidyl Compounds Targeting Coronavirus 3C-like Protease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Yunjeong; Mandadapu, Sivakoteswara Rao; Groutas, William C.; Chang, Kyeong-Ok

    2012-01-01

    Feline coronavirus infection is common among domestic and exotic felid species and usually associated with mild or asymptomatic enteritis; however, feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a fatal disease of cats that is caused by systemic infection with a feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV), a variant of feline enteric coronavirus (FECV). Currently, there is no specific treatment approved for FIP despite the importance of FIP as the leading infectious cause of death in young cats. During the replication process, coronavirus produces viral polyproteins that are processed into mature proteins by viral proteases, the main protease (3C-like [3CL] protease) and the papain-like protease. Since the cleavages of viral polyproteins are an essential step for virus replication, blockage of viral protease is an attractive target for therapeutic intervention. Previously, we reported the generation of broad-spectrum peptidyl inhibitors against viruses that possess a 3C or 3CL protease. In this study, we further evaluated the antiviral effects of the peptidyl inhibitors against feline coronaviruses, and investigated the interaction between our protease inhibitor and a cathepsin B inhibitor, an entry blocker, against feline coronaviruses in cell culture. Herein we report that our compounds behave as reversible, competitive inhibitors of 3CL protease, potently inhibited the replication of feline coronaviruses (EC50 in a nanomolar range) and, furthermore, the combination of cathepsin B and 3CL protease inhibitors led to a strong synergistic interaction against feline coronaviruses in cell culture systems. PMID:23219425

  19. Indian marine bivalves: Potential source of antiviral drugs

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Chatterji, A.; Ansari, Z.A.; Ingole, B.S.; Bichurina, M.A.; Sovetova, M.; Boikov, Y.A.

    in large quantities by traditional methods and sold live in the market for human consumption. The economically important sp e cies of marine bivalves are green mussel ( Perna viridis ), e s tuarine oyster ( Crassostrea madrasensis ), giant oyster... in developing an effecti ve drug has been the unique characteristics of antigenic variation of virus resulting in the emergence of new variant virus strains 14 . There are a number of antiviral drugs introduced in the market such as tricyclic sy m- metric...

  20. ANTIMICROBIAL, ENTOMOPATHOGENIC AND ANTIVIRAL ACTIVITY OF GAUPSIN BIOPREPARATION CREATED ON THE BASIS OF Pseudomonas chlororaphis STRAINS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. A. Kiprianova

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this review was to present the results of more than ten-year study of gaupsin biopreparation created on the basis of two strains Pseudomonas chlororaphis subsp. aureofaciens UCM В-111 and UCM В-306 with antifungal, entomopathogenic and antiviral activities. Data about antibiotic substances produced by these strains — phenazine and phenylpyrrole derivatives — are presented. Entomocidal properties against the wide spectrum of insect pests have been found out in the strains-producers. Antiviral activity of gaupsin due to the production of thermostable exopolymers containing neutral monosaccharides has been shown using the tobacco mosaic virus as a model. Lipopolysaccharides of the strains В-111 and В-306 also appeared to be highly active antiviral agents. Structure of their O-specific polysaccharides has been established. The last one are structurally heterogenic, presented by linear tri-and tetrasaccharide repeated links and have specific structure that has not been described previously.

  1. RIG-I-like receptor-induced IRF3 mediated pathway of apoptosis (RIPA: a new antiviral pathway

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saurabh Chattopadhyay

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The innate immune response is the first line of host defense to eliminate viral infection. Pattern recognition receptors in the cytosol, such as RIG-I-like receptors (RLR and Nod-like receptors (NLR, and membrane bound Toll like receptors (TLR detect viral infection and initiate transcription of a cohort of antiviral genes, including interferon (IFN and interferon stimulated genes (ISGs, which ultimately block viral replication. Another mechanism to reduce viral spread is through RIPA, the RLR-induced IRF3-mediated pathway of apoptosis, which causes infected cells to undergo premature death. The transcription factor IRF3 can mediate cellular antiviral responses by both inducing antiviral genes and triggering apoptosis through the activation of RIPA. The mechanism of IRF3 activation in RIPA is distinct from that of transcriptional activation; it requires linear polyubiquitination of specific lysine residues of IRF3. Using RIPA-active, but transcriptionally inactive, IRF3 mutants, it was shown that RIPA can prevent viral replication and pathogenesis in mice.

  2. Antimicrobial, antiviral and antioxidant activities of "água-mel" from Portugal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miguel, Maria G; Faleiro, Leonor; Antunes, Maria D; Aazza, Smail; Duarte, Joana; Silvério, Ana R

    2013-06-01

    "Água-mel" is a honey-based product produced in Portugal for ancient times. Several attributes have been reported to "água-mel" particularly in the alleviation of simple symptoms of upper respiratory tract. Samples of "água-mel" from diverse beekeepers from different regions of Portugal were studied in what concerns antimicrobial, antioxidant and antiviral properties. The amounts of phenol and brown pigment were also evaluated and correlated with the antioxidant activities. A great variability on the levels of these compounds was found among samples which were responsible for the variability detected also on the antioxidant activities, independent on the method used. Generally, antioxidant activity correlated better with brown pigments' amount than with phenols' content. The antimicrobial activity found for "água-mel" samples confirm the virtues reported by popular findings. In addition, this work also reveals the antiviral properties of "água-mel" evidenced by a decrease on the infectivity of the Qβ bacteriophage. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Antiviral Efficacy and Host Innate Immunity Associated with SB 9200 Treatment in the Woodchuck Model of Chronic Hepatitis B.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kyle E Korolowicz

    Full Text Available SB 9200, an oral prodrug of the dinucleotide SB 9000, is being developed for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV infection and represents a novel class of antivirals. SB 9200 is thought to activate the viral sensor proteins, retinoic acid-inducible gene 1 (RIG-I and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2 (NOD2 resulting in interferon (IFN mediated antiviral immune responses in virus-infected cells. Additionally, the binding of SB 9200 to these sensor proteins could also sterically block the ability of the viral polymerase to access pre-genomic RNA for nucleic acid synthesis. The immune stimulating and direct antiviral properties of SB 9200 were evaluated in woodchucks chronically infected with woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV by daily, oral dosing at 15 and 30 mg/kg for 12 weeks. Prolonged treatment resulted in 2.2 and 3.7 log10 reductions in serum WHV DNA and in 0.5 and 1.6 log10 declines in serum WHV surface antigen from pretreatment level with the lower or higher dose of SB 9200, respectively. SB 9200 treatment also resulted in lower hepatic levels of WHV nucleic acids and antigen and reduced liver inflammation. Following treatment cessation, recrudescence of viral replication was observed but with dose-dependent delays in viral relapse. The antiviral effects were associated with dose-dependent and long-lasting induction of IFN-α, IFN-β and IFN-stimulated genes in blood and liver, which correlated with the prolonged activation of the RIG-I/NOD2 pathway and hepatic presence of elevated RIG-I protein levels. These results suggest that in addition to a direct antiviral activity, SB 9200 induces antiviral immunity during chronic hepadnaviral infection via activation of the viral sensor pathway.

  4. Liver stiffness becomes stable in patients with chronic hepatitis C three months after ALT normalization due to antiviral therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CHEN Feikai

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available ObjectiveTo investigate the time for liver stiffness measurement (LSM to become stable in chronic hepatitis C (CHC patients with elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT levels after ALT normalization due to antiviral therapy. MethodsCHC patients who sought initial treatment at Peking University People′s Hospital were screened for elevated ALT levels from May 2011. Liver stiffness was determined by FibroScan. A total of 29 patients had been included in the study by September 2012, who were followed up regularly after antiviral treatment. ALT tests were repeated every four weeks and LSM every eight weeks until their medians did not change significantly. Comparisons of matched data at two adjacent time points were made with the non-parametric Wilcoxon test, while multiple comparisons of repeated measurements were performed using Bonferroni correction. Correlation between two variables was analyzed with the Spearman rank test. ResultsPatients were followed up until 24 weeks after antiviral treatment, and 24 patients were included in analysis. The median ALT levels were 64, 26, 21, 20, and 22 U/L at baseline and 4, 8, 12, and 24 weeks, respectively (P= 0.000, 0.006, 0.337, and 0.109 for comparisons between two adjacent values. ALT decreased significantly below 1 ULN at 4 weeks after antiviral therapy and stabilized at 8 weeks. The median LSM values were 8.7, 7.8, 6.8, and 6.7 kPa at baseline and 8, 16, and 24 weeks, respectively (P= 0.009, 0.001, and 0188 for comparisons between two adjacent values. LSM decreased significantly within 16 weeks after antiviral therapy and stabilized afterwards. LSM stabilized 12 weeks after ALT normalization. ConclusionLSM becomes stable in CHC patients with elevated ALT levels three months after ALT normalization due to antiviral therapy.

  5. Cost-effectiveness analysis of antiviral therapy in patients with advanced hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma treated with sorafenib.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Pengfei; Yang, Yu; Wen, Feng; Wheeler, John; Fu, Ping; Li, Qiu

    2016-12-01

    Antiviral therapy has been demonstrated to significantly improve the survival in patients with advanced hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of the study was to investigate the cost-effectiveness of antiviral therapy in patients with advanced HBV-related HCC treated with sorafenib. To conduct the analysis, a Markov model comprising three health states (progression-free survival, progressive disease, and death) was created. The efficacy data were derived from medical records. Cost data were collected based on the Chinese national drug prices. Utility data came from the previously published studies. One-way sensitivity analyses as well as probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to explore model uncertainties. In the base-case analysis, addition of antiviral therapy to sorafenib generated an effectiveness of 0.68 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) at a cost of $25 026.04, while sorafenib monotherapy gained an effectiveness of 0.42 QALYs at a cost of $20 249.64. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was $18 370.77/QALY for antiviral therapy group versus non-antiviral therapy group. On the other hand, the ICER between the two groups in patients with high or low HBV-DNA load, with or without cirrhosis, normal or elevated alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase were $16 613.97/QALY, $19 774.16/QALY, $14 587.66/QALY, $19 873.84/QALY, $17 947.07/QALY, and $18 785.58/QALY, respectively. Based on the cost-effectiveness threshold ($20 301.00/QALY in China), addition of antiviral therapy to sorafenib is considered to be a cost-effective option compared with sorafenib monotherapy in patients with advanced HBV-related HCC in China from the patient's perspective. © 2016 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  6. 2-Aminobenzimidazoles as potent Aurora kinase inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhong, Min; Bui, Minna; Shen, Wang; Baskaran, Subramanian; Allen, Darin A; Elling, Robert A; Flanagan, W Michael; Fung, Amy D; Hanan, Emily J; Harris, Shannon O; Heumann, Stacey A; Hoch, Ute; Ivy, Sheryl N; Jacobs, Jeffrey W; Lam, Stuart; Lee, Heman; McDowell, Robert S; Oslob, Johan D; Purkey, Hans E; Romanowski, Michael J; Silverman, Jeffrey A; Tangonan, Bradley T; Taverna, Pietro; Yang, Wenjin; Yoburn, Josh C; Yu, Chul H; Zimmerman, Kristin M; O'Brien, Tom; Lew, Willard

    2009-09-01

    This Letter describes the discovery and key structure-activity relationship (SAR) of a series of 2-aminobenzimidazoles as potent Aurora kinase inhibitors. 2-Aminobenzimidazole serves as a bioisostere of the biaryl urea residue of SNS-314 (1c), which is a potent Aurora kinase inhibitor and entered clinical testing in patients with solid tumors. Compared to SNS-314, this series of compounds offers better aqueous solubility while retaining comparable in vitro potency in biochemical and cell-based assays; in particular, 6m has also demonstrated a comparable mouse iv PK profile to SNS-314.

  7. CD4-specific designed ankyrin repeat proteins are novel potent HIV entry inhibitors with unique characteristics.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andreas Schweizer

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available Here, we describe the generation of a novel type of HIV entry inhibitor using the recently developed Designed Ankyrin Repeat Protein (DARPin technology. DARPin proteins specific for human CD4 were selected from a DARPin DNA library using ribosome display. Selected pool members interacted specifically with CD4 and competed with gp120 for binding to CD4. DARPin proteins derived in the initial selection series inhibited HIV in a dose-dependent manner, but showed a relatively high variability in their capacity to block replication of patient isolates on primary CD4 T cells. In consequence, a second series of CD4-specific DARPins with improved affinity for CD4 was generated. These 2nd series DARPins potently inhibit infection of genetically divergent (subtype B and C HIV isolates in the low nanomolar range, independent of coreceptor usage. Importantly, the actions of the CD4 binding DARPins were highly specific: no effect on cell viability or activation, CD4 memory cell function, or interference with CD4-independent virus entry was observed. These novel CD4 targeting molecules described here combine the unique characteristics of DARPins-high physical stability, specificity and low production costs-with the capacity to potently block HIV entry, rendering them promising candidates for microbicide development.

  8. Antiviral Goes Viral : Harnessing CRISPR/Cas9 to Combat Viruses in Humans

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Soppe, Jasper Adriaan; Lebbink, Robert Jan

    2017-01-01

    The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated (Cas) systems are RNA-guided sequence-specific prokaryotic antiviral immune systems. In prokaryotes, small RNA molecules guide Cas effector endonucleases to invading foreign genetic elements in a

  9. Synergistic antiviral effect in vitro of azidothymidine and amphotericin B methyl ester in combination on HIV infection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, J E; Nielsen, C; Svenningsen, A

    1992-01-01

    The nucleoside analogue azidothymidine (AZT) and the methyl ester of amphotericin B (AME) were assayed for antiviral effect on HIV infection singly and in combination. Both compounds were effective in inhibiting HIV infection of MT-4 cells. At concentrations where either compound alone had no sig...... synergistic antiviral properties. Amphotericin B itself significantly reduced HIV infectivity in vitro and should not be used as an antifungal agent in cultures intended to propagate HIV....

  10. Management of hepatitis C infection in the era of direct-acting antiviral therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zain, L. H.; Sungkar, T.

    2018-03-01

    Hepatitis C viral infection globally affects millions of people and commonly results in debilitating complications and mortality. Initial mainstay therapy consisted of pegylated interferon α (pegIFNα) with additional ribavirin that showed unsatisfactory cure rate, common side effects and complicated dosing, contributing to high discontinuation rate. Over the last few years, newer antivirals have been extensively studied, that are Direct-Acting Antivirals (DAAs). Specifically targeting viral protein mainly during replication phase, DAAs showed greater cure rate (commonly measured as sustained virologic response), improved safety profile and shorter treatment duration compared to traditional interferon-ribavirin therapy. Current guidelines have also included Interferon-free, often ribavirin-free, DAAs combinations that suggest promising outcomes. The current review highlights development of rapidly growing hepatitis C treatment including DAAs recommendations.

  11. Atividade antiviral de Musa acuminata Colla, Musaceae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernanda Otaviano Martins

    Full Text Available O presente trabalho avalia a atividade antiviral de extratos e frações de Musa acuminata Colla, Musaceae, coletada em duas regiões do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (Petrópolis e Santo Antônio de Pádua. As inflorescências de M. acuminata apresentaram excelente atividade para os dois vírus avaliados: herpesvírus simples humano tipo 1 e herpesvírus simples humano tipo 2, ambos resistentes ao Aciclovir. Os resultados indicam que os extratos de M. acuminata testados podem constituir alvo potencial para uso em terapias antivirais.

  12. New Approaches for Quantitating the Inhibition of HIV-1 Replication by Antiviral Drugs in vitro and in vivo

    Science.gov (United States)

    McMahon, Moira A.; Shen, Lin; Siliciano, Robert F.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose of review With highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART), HIV-1 infection has become a manageable lifelong disease. Developing optimal treatment regimens requires understanding how to best measure anti-HIV activity in vitro and how drug dose response curves generated in vitro correlate with in vivo efficacy. Recent findings Several recent studies have indicated that conventional multi-round infectivity assays are inferior to single cycle assays at both low and high levels of inhibition. Multi-round infectivity assays can fail to detect subtle but clinically significant anti-HIV activity. The discoveries of the anti-HIV activity of the hepatitis B drug entecavir and the herpes simplex drug acyclovir were facilitated by single round infectivity assays. Recent studies using a single round infectivity assay have shown that a previously neglected parameter, the dose response curve slope, is an extremely important determinant of antiviral activity. Some antiretroviral drugs have steep slopes that result in extraordinary levels of antiviral activity. The instantaneous inhibitory potential (IIP), the log reduction in infectivity in a single round assay at clinical drug concentrations, has been proposed as a novel index for comparing antiviral activity. Summary Among in vitro measures of antiviral activity, single round infection assays have the advantage of measure instantaneous inhibition by a drug. Re-evaluating the antiviral activity of approved HIV-1 drugs has shown that the slope parameter is an important factor in drug activity. Determining the IIP by using a single round infectivity assay may provide important insights that can predict the in vivo efficacy of anti-HIV-1 drugs. PMID:19841584

  13. The effectiveness of different antiviral treatment regimens in patients with chronic hepatitis C infected with genotype 3 virus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E.V. Riabokon

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Background. Chronic hepatitis C (CHC remains one of the most urgent problems of modern infectology. In recent years, the principles of antiviral therapy have substantially changed due to the emergence of new drugs with a direct mechanism of action and the development of non-interferon treatment regimens. Two regimens included HCV NS5B polymerase inhibitors were available in Ukraine for treating CHC patients infected with genotype 3 virus. Objective: to analyze the effectiveness of different schemes of antiviral treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C infected with genotype 3 virus. Materials and methods. The study included 66 patients with CHC infected with genotype 3 virus. All patients underwent study of liver fibrosis degree by the method of fibrotest; in the dynamics, we have tested viral load, liver tests, indicators of complete blood count, functional kidney tests. Antiviral treatment and analysis of its effectiveness were carried out in accordance with the Unified Protocol of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. Results. According to the results of treating CHC patients infected with genotype 3 virus, high efficacy of both applied schemes of antiviral therapy in clinical practice is shown. A rapid virologic response occurred in 93.5 % of CHC patients treated with peginterferon (peg-IFN α2a + sofosbuvir (SOF + ribavirin (RBV regimen, and in 82.9 % of patients receiving non-interferon therapy with SOF + RBV. The immediate response to treatment was achieved according to treatment regimens in 90.3 and 94.3 % of patients. Sustained virological response at week 24 after antiviral treatment was noted in 87.5 and 91.4 % of patients, respectively. The frequency of virological response to antiviral treatment in CHC patients infected with genotype 3 virus did not depend on the stage of liver fibrosis, either in the use of non-interferon treatment by SOF + RBV scheme, or in the treatment with interferon-containing scheme included the drug with

  14. A Hepatitis C Virus-Associated Cirrhotic Patient Developing Interstitial Pneumonia during the Course of Antiviral Therapy with Ombitasvir/Paritaprevir/Ritonavir

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kazuo Tarao

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Oral direct-acting antivirals (DAAs are the main therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV-associated liver disease in Japan. Daclatasvir/asunaprevir is the first agent and sofosbuvir/ledipasvir is the secondary agent for HCV genotype 1b. More recently, ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir is also recommended as a potent therapy for HCV genotype 1b. Among the adverse events associated with these oral DAAs, interstitial pneumonia is one of the most severe ones. Regarding treatment with daclatasvir plus asunaprevir or sofosbuvir plus ledipasvir, a few cases have already been reported in a postmarketing surveillance. Recently, we have encountered a HCV-associated genotype 1b cirrhosis patient who developed interstitial pneumonia during treatment with ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and who recovered after drug discontinuation without corticosteroid therapy. Interstitial pneumonia was confirmed by chest x-ray and chest computed tomography. The serum KL-6 level was elevated to 1,180 U/mL. The total duration of the drug administration was 7 weeks, and she achieved SVR24. This is the first detailed report in the literature on the development of interstitial pneumonia during treatment with ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir. When dry cough appeared in the treatment with DAAs, chest computed tomography and the evaluation of serum KL-6 level were recommended.

  15. Antimicrobial Peptides Derived from Fusion Peptides of Influenza A Viruses, a Promising Approach to Designing Potent Antimicrobial Agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jingyu; Zhong, Wenjing; Lin, Dongguo; Xia, Fan; Wu, Wenjiao; Zhang, Heyuan; Lv, Lin; Liu, Shuwen; He, Jian

    2015-10-01

    The emergence and dissemination of antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens have spurred the urgent need to develop novel antimicrobial agents with different mode of action. In this respect, we turned several fusogenic peptides (FPs) derived from the hemagglutinin glycoproteins (HAs) of IAV into potent antibacterials by replacing the negatively or neutrally charged residues of FPs with positively charged lysines. Their antibacterial activities were evaluated by testing the MICs against a panel of bacterial strains including S. aureus, S. mutans, P. aeruginosa, and E. coli. The results showed that peptides HA-FP-1, HA-FP-2-1, and HA-FP-3-1 were effective against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria with MICs ranging from 1.9 to 16.0 μm, while the toxicities toward mammalian cells were low. In addition, the mode of action and the secondary structure of these peptides were also discussed. These data not only provide several potent peptides displaying promising potential in development as broad antimicrobial agents, but also present a useful strategy in designing new antimicrobial agents. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  16. Co-localization of a CD1d-binding glycolipid with an adenovirus-based malaria vaccine for a potent adjuvant effect.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xiangming; Huang, Jing; Kawamura, Akira; Funakoshi, Ryota; Porcelli, Steven A; Tsuji, Moriya

    2017-05-31

    A CD1d-binding, invariant (i) natural killer T (NKT)-cell stimulatory glycolipid, α-Galactosylceramide (αGalCer), has been shown to act as an adjuvant. We previously identified a fluorinated phenyl ring-modified αGalCer analog, 7DW8-5, displaying a higher binding affinity for CD1d molecule and more potent adjuvant activity than αGalCer. In the present study, 7DW8-5 co-administered intramuscularly (i.m.) with a recombinant adenovirus expressing a Plasmodium yoelii circumsporozoite protein (PyCSP), AdPyCS, has led to a co-localization of 7DW8-5 and a PyCSP in draining lymph nodes (dLNs), particularly in dendritic cells (DCs). This occurrence initiates a cascade of events, such as the recruitment of DCs to dLNs and their activation and maturation, and the enhancement of the ability of DCs to prime CD8+ T cells induced by AdPyCS and ultimately leading to a potent adjuvant effect and protection against malaria. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Evasion of Early Antiviral Responses by Herpes Simplex Viruses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suazo, Paula A.; Ibañez, Francisco J.; Retamal-Díaz, Angello R.; Paz-Fiblas, Marysol V.; Bueno, Susan M.; Kalergis, Alexis M.; González, Pablo A.

    2015-01-01

    Besides overcoming physical constraints, such as extreme temperatures, reduced humidity, elevated pressure, and natural predators, human pathogens further need to overcome an arsenal of antimicrobial components evolved by the host to limit infection, replication and optimally, reinfection. Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) infect humans at a high frequency and persist within the host for life by establishing latency in neurons. To gain access to these cells, herpes simplex viruses (HSVs) must replicate and block immediate host antiviral responses elicited by epithelial cells and innate immune components early after infection. During these processes, infected and noninfected neighboring cells, as well as tissue-resident and patrolling immune cells, will sense viral components and cell-associated danger signals and secrete soluble mediators. While type-I interferons aim at limiting virus spread, cytokines and chemokines will modulate resident and incoming immune cells. In this paper, we discuss recent findings relative to the early steps taking place during HSV infection and replication. Further, we discuss how HSVs evade detection by host cells and the molecular mechanisms evolved by these viruses to circumvent early antiviral mechanisms, ultimately leading to neuron infection and the establishment of latency. PMID:25918478

  18. New antivirals for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soriano, Vincent; Barreiro, Pablo; Benitez, Laura; Peña, Jose M; de Mendoza, Carmen

    2017-07-01

    Current treatment with oral nucleos(t)ides entecavir or tenofovir provide sustained suppression of HBV replication and clinical benefit in most chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infected persons. However, HBV rebound generally occurs upon drug discontinuation due to persistence of genomic HBV reservoirs as episomic cccDNA and chromosomic integrated HBV-DNA. There is renewed enthusiasm on HBV drug discovery following recent successes with antivirals for hepatitis C and immunotherapies for some cancers. Areas covered: New drugs that target distinct steps of the HBV life cycle are been developed, including inhibitors of viral entry, new polymerase inhibitors, capsid and assembly inhibitors, virus release blockers, and disruptors of cccDNA formation and transcription. Alongside these antivirals, agents that enhance anti-HBV specific immune responses are being tested, including TLR agonists, checkpoint inhibitors and therapeutic vaccines. Expert opinion: The achievement of a 'functional cure' for chronic HBV infection, with sustained HBsAg clearance and undetectable viremia once medications are stopped, represents the next step in the pace towards HBV elimination. Hopefully, the combination of new drugs that eliminate or functionally inactivate the genomic HBV reservoirs (cccDNA and integrated HBV-DNA) along with agents that enhance or activate immune responses against HBV will lead to a 'definitive cure' for chronic HBV infection.

  19. Longitudinal Liver Stiffness Assessment in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Undergoing Antiviral Therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martinez, Stella M.; Foucher, Juliette; Combis, Jean-Marc; Métivier, Sophie; Brunetto, Maurizia; Capron, Dominique; Bourlière, Marc; Bronowicki, Jean-Pierre; Dao, Thong; Maynard-Muet, Marianne; Lucidarme, Damien; Merrouche, Wassil; Forns, Xavier; de Lédinghen, Victor

    2012-01-01

    Background/Aims Liver stiffness (LS) measurement by means of transient elastography (TE) is accurate to predict fibrosis stage. The effect of antiviral treatment and virologic response on LS was assessed and compared with untreated patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Methods TE was performed at baseline, and at weeks 24, 48, and 72 in 515 patients with CHC. Results 323 treated (62.7%) and 192 untreated patients (37.3%) were assessed. LS experienced a significant decline in treated patients and remained stable in untreated patients at the end of study (P<0.0001). The decline was significant for patients with baseline LS ≥ 7.1 kPa (P<0.0001 and P 0.03, for LS ≥9.5 and ≥7.1 kPa vs lower values, respectively). Sustained virological responders and relapsers had a significant LS improvement whereas a trend was observed in nonresponders (mean percent change −16%, −10% and −2%, for SVR, RR and NR, respectively, P 0.03 for SVR vs NR). In multivariate analysis, high baseline LS (P<0.0001) and ALT levels, antiviral therapy and non-1 genotype were independent predictors of LS improvement. Conclusions LS decreases during and after antiviral treatment in patients with CHC. The decrease is significant in sustained responders and relapsers (particularly in those with high baseline LS) and suggests an improvement in liver damage. PMID:23082200

  20. Longitudinal liver stiffness assessment in patients with chronic hepatitis C undergoing antiviral therapy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stella M Martinez

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND/AIMS: Liver stiffness (LS measurement by means of transient elastography (TE is accurate to predict fibrosis stage. The effect of antiviral treatment and virologic response on LS was assessed and compared with untreated patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC. METHODS: TE was performed at baseline, and at weeks 24, 48, and 72 in 515 patients with CHC. RESULTS: 323 treated (62.7% and 192 untreated patients (37.3% were assessed. LS experienced a significant decline in treated patients and remained stable in untreated patients at the end of study (P<0.0001. The decline was significant for patients with baseline LS ≥ 7.1 kPa (P<0.0001 and P 0.03, for LS ≥ 9.5 and ≥ 7.1 kPa vs lower values, respectively. Sustained virological responders and relapsers had a significant LS improvement whereas a trend was observed in nonresponders (mean percent change -16%, -10% and -2%, for SVR, RR and NR, respectively, P 0.03 for SVR vs NR. In multivariate analysis, high baseline LS (P<0.0001 and ALT levels, antiviral therapy and non-1 genotype were independent predictors of LS improvement. CONCLUSIONS: LS decreases during and after antiviral treatment in patients with CHC. The decrease is significant in sustained responders and relapsers (particularly in those with high baseline LS and suggests an improvement in liver damage.

  1. Anti-viral therapy is associated with improved survival but is underutilised in patients with hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma: real-world east and west experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, V L; Yeh, M-L; Le, A K; Jun, M; Saeed, W K; Yang, J D; Huang, C-F; Lee, H Y; Tsai, P-C; Lee, M-H; Giama, N; Kim, N G; Nguyen, P P; Dang, H; Ali, H A; Zhang, N; Huang, J-F; Dai, C-Y; Chuang, W-L; Roberts, L R; Jun, D W; Lim, Y-S; Yu, M-L; Nguyen, M H

    2018-07-01

    Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. It remains incompletely understood in the real world how anti-viral therapy affects survival after HCC diagnosis. This was an international multicentre cohort study of 2518 HBV-related HCC cases diagnosed between 2000 and 2015. Cox proportional hazards models were utilised to estimate hazard ratios (HR) with 95% (CI) for anti-viral therapy and cirrhosis on patients' risk of death. Approximately, 48% of patients received anti-viral therapy at any time, but only 17% were on therapy at HCC diagnosis (38% at US centres, 11% at Asian centres). Anti-viral therapy would have been indicated for >60% of the patients not on anti-viral therapy based on American criteria. Patients with cirrhosis had lower 5-year survival (34% vs 46%; P < 0.001) while patients receiving anti-viral therapy had increased 5-year survival compared to untreated patients (42% vs 25% with cirrhosis and 58% vs 36% without cirrhosis; P < 0.001 for both). Similar findings were seen for other patient subgroups by cancer stages and cancer treatment types. Anti-viral therapy was associated with a decrease in risk of death, whether started before or after HCC diagnosis (adjusted HR 0.62 and 0.79, respectively; P < 0.001). Anti-viral therapy improved overall survival in patients with HBV-related HCC across cancer stages and treatment types but was underutilised at both US and Asia centres. Expanded use of anti-viral therapy in HBV-related HCC and better linkage-to-care for HBV patients are needed. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. In vitro antiviral activity of aqueous extract of Phaleria macrocarpa fruit against herpes simplex virus type 1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ismaeel, Mahmud Yusef Yusef; Dyari, Herryawan Ryadi Eziwar; Yaacob, Wan Ahmad; Ibrahim, Nazlina

    2018-04-01

    Phaleria macrocarpa fruits have been used as herbal medicine for several diseases. This study aims to determine the cytotoxicity and antiviral activity of aqueous extract of P. macrocarpa fruit (AEPMF). Phytochemical analysis showed the presence of steroids, tannins, flavones aglycones, saponins, terpenoids and alkaloids. AEPMF was found to contain protein with the concentration of 740 µg/mL. The cytotoxicity towards Vero cell was evaluated using MTT assay with 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50) value of AEPMF 5 mg/mL. The finding indicates that AEPMF is safe and not toxic towards Vero cells. Screening by plaque reduction assay showed that AEPMF have antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) with effective concentration (EC50) was 0.28 mg/mL. The selective index (SI=CC50/EC50) of AEPMF is 17.9 indicating AEPMF have potential for further evaluation in antiviral activity.

  3. Novel GLP-1 fusion chimera as potent long acting GLP-1 receptor agonist.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qinghua Wang

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available GLP-1 has a variety of anti-diabetic effects. However, native GLP-1 is not suitable for therapy of diabetes due to its short half-life (t1/2168 h. Intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT in mice showed that GLP-1/hIgG2 significantly decreased glucose excursion. Furthermore, IPGTT performed on mice one week after a single drug-injection also displayed significantly reduced glucose excursion, indicating that GLP-1/hIgG2 fusion protein has long-lasting effects on the modulation of glucose homeostasis. GLP-1/hIgG2 was found to be effective in reducing the incidence of diabetes in multiple-low-dose streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes in mice. Together, the long-lasting bioactive GLP-1/hIgG2 retains native GLP-1 activities and thus may serve as a potent GLP-1 receptor agonist.

  4. Antibacterial, Antiviral, and Oxygen-Sensing Nanoparticles Prepared from Electrospun Materials

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Henke, P.; Kirakci, Kaplan; Kubát, Pavel; Fraiberk, M.; Forstová, J.; Mosinger, Jiří

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 8, č. 38 (2016), s. 25127-25136 ISSN 1944-8244 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA16-15020S; GA MŠk(CZ) LM2015073 Institutional support: RVO:61388980 ; RVO:61388955 Keywords : antibacterial * antiviral * nanoparticles * oxygen-sensing * singlet oxygen Subject RIV: CA - Inorganic Chemistry; CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry (UFCH-W) Impact factor: 7.504, year: 2016

  5. Drug-induced Sweet's syndrome secondary to hepatitis C antiviral therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gheorghe, Liana; Cotruta, Bogdan; Trifu, Viorel; Cotruta, Cristina; Becheanu, Gabriel; Gheorghe, Cristian

    2008-09-01

    Pegylated interferon-alpha in combination with ribavirin currently represents the therapeutic standard for the hepatitis C virus infection. Interferon based therapy may be responsible for many cutaneous side effects. We report a case of drug-induced Sweet's syndrome secondary to hepatitis C antiviral therapy. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of Sweet's syndrome in association with pegylated interferon-alpha therapy.

  6. Chronic Hepatitis C and Antiviral Treatment Regimens: Where Can Psychology Contribute?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evon, Donna M.; Golin, Carol E.; Fried, Michael W.; Keefe, Francis J.

    2013-01-01

    Objective: Our goal was to evaluate the existing literature on psychological, social, and behavioral aspects of chronic hepatitis C viral (HCV) infection and antiviral treatment; provide the state of the behavioral science in areas that presently hinder HCV-related health outcomes; and make recommendations for areas in which clinical psychology…

  7. Influence of antiviral therapy on survival of patients with hepatitis B ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The mortality rates in two groups were evaluated with Kaplan-Meier estimate. ... 274 (76.9 %) died, with 89 patients belonging to the antiviral group while the ... TACE is different from systemic ... and identification of study participants was not ..... Table 3: Cox regression analysis to deteermine variables associated with overall ...

  8. Virally encoded chemokines and chemokine receptors in the role of viral infections

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holst, Peter J; Lüttichau, Hans R; Schwartz, Thue W

    2003-01-01

    of these or potent ways to alter an efficient antiviral response to a weak Th2-driven response. Examples here are the chemokine scavenging by US28, attractance of Th2 cells and regulatory cells by vMIP1-3 and the selective engaging of CCR8 by MC148. Important insights into viral pathology and possible targets...... for antiviral therapies have been provided by UL33, UL78 and in particular ORF74 and the chances are that many more will follow. In HHV8 vMIP-2 and the chemokine-binding proteins potent anti-inflammatory agents have been provided. These have already had their potential demonstrated in animal models and may...

  9. Changes in soluble factor-mediated CD8+ cell-derived antiviral activity in cynomolgus macaques infected with simian immunodeficiency virus SIVmac251: relationship to biological markers of progression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dioszeghy, Vincent; Benlhassan-Chahour, Kadija; Delache, Benoit; Dereuddre-Bosquet, Nathalie; Aubenque, Celine; Gras, Gabriel; Le Grand, Roger; Vaslin, Bruno

    2006-01-01

    Cross-sectional studies have shown that the capacity of CD8+ cells from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) SIVmac-infected macaques to suppress the replication of human and simian immunodeficiency viruses in vitro depends on the clinical stage of disease, but little is known about changes in this antiviral activity over time in individual HIV-infected patients or SIV-infected macaques. We assessed changes in the soluble factor-mediated noncytolytic antiviral activity of CD8+ cells over time in eight cynomolgus macaques infected with SIVmac251 to determine the pathophysiological role of this activity. CD8+ cell-associated antiviral activity increased rapidly in the first week after viral inoculation and remained detectable during the early phase of infection. The net increase in antiviral activity of CD8+ cells was correlated with plasma viral load throughout the 15 months of follow-up. CD8+ cells gradually lost their antiviral activity over time and acquired virus replication-enhancing capacity. Levels of antiviral activity correlated with CD4+ T-cell counts after viral set point. Concentrations of beta-chemokines and interleukin-16 in CD8+ cell supernatants were not correlated with this antiviral activity, and alpha-defensins were not detected. The soluble factor-mediated antiviral activity of CD8+ cells was neither cytolytic nor restricted to major histocompatibility complex. This longitudinal study strongly suggests that the increase in noncytolytic antiviral activity from baseline and the maintenance of this increase over time in cynomolgus macaques depend on both viral replication and CD4+ T cells.

  10. Changes in Soluble Factor-Mediated CD8+ Cell-Derived Antiviral Activity in Cynomolgus Macaques Infected with Simian Immunodeficiency Virus SIVmac251: Relationship to Biological Markers of Progression†

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dioszeghy, Vincent; Benlhassan-Chahour, Kadija; Delache, Benoit; Dereuddre-Bosquet, Nathalie; Aubenque, Celine; Gras, Gabriel; Le Grand, Roger; Vaslin, Bruno

    2006-01-01

    Cross-sectional studies have shown that the capacity of CD8+ cells from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) SIVmac-infected macaques to suppress the replication of human and simian immunodeficiency viruses in vitro depends on the clinical stage of disease, but little is known about changes in this antiviral activity over time in individual HIV-infected patients or SIV-infected macaques. We assessed changes in the soluble factor-mediated noncytolytic antiviral activity of CD8+ cells over time in eight cynomolgus macaques infected with SIVmac251 to determine the pathophysiological role of this activity. CD8+ cell-associated antiviral activity increased rapidly in the first week after viral inoculation and remained detectable during the early phase of infection. The net increase in antiviral activity of CD8+ cells was correlated with plasma viral load throughout the 15 months of follow-up. CD8+ cells gradually lost their antiviral activity over time and acquired virus replication-enhancing capacity. Levels of antiviral activity correlated with CD4+ T-cell counts after viral set point. Concentrations of β-chemokines and interleukin-16 in CD8+ cell supernatants were not correlated with this antiviral activity, and α-defensins were not detected. The soluble factor-mediated antiviral activity of CD8+ cells was neither cytolytic nor restricted to major histocompatibility complex. This longitudinal study strongly suggests that the increase in noncytolytic antiviral activity from baseline and the maintenance of this increase over time in cynomolgus macaques depend on both viral replication and CD4+ T cells. PMID:16352548

  11. Arthropod-borne flaviviruses and RNA interference : seeking new approaches for antiviral therapy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Diosa-Toro, Mayra; Urcuqui-Inchima, Silvio; Smit, Jolanda M

    2013-01-01

    Flaviviruses are the most prevalent arthropod-borne viruses worldwide, and nearly half of the 70 Flavivirus members identified are human pathogens. Despite the huge clinical impact of flaviviruses, there is no specific human antiviral therapy available to treat infection with any of the

  12. Antiviral Effects of Saffron and its Major Ingredients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soleymani, Sepehr; Zabihollahi, Rezvan; Shahbazi, Sepideh; Bolhassani, Azam

    2018-01-01

    The lack of an effective vaccine against viral infections, toxicity of the synthetic anti-viral drugs and the generation of resistant viral strains led to discover novel inhibitors. Recently, saffron and its compounds were used to treat different pathological conditions. In this study, we tested the anti-HSV-1 and anti-HIV-1 activities of Iranian saffron extract and its major ingredients including crocin and picrocrocin as well as cytotoxicity in vitro. The data showed that the aqueous saffron extract was not active against HIV-1 and HSV-1 virions at certain doses (i.e., a mild activity), but crocin and picrocrocin indicated significant anti-HSV-1 and also anti-HIV-1 activities. Crocin inhibited the HSV replication at before and after entry of virions into Vero cells. Indeed, crocin carotenoid suppressed HSV penetration in the target cells as well as disturbed virus replication after entry into the cells. Picrocrocin was also effective for inhibiting virus entry and also its replication. This monoterpen aldehyde showed higher anti-HSV effects after virus penetrating in the cells. Generally, these sugar-containing compounds extracted from saffron showed to be effective antiherpetic drug candidates. The recent study is the first report suggesting antiviral activities for saffron extract and its major ingredients. Crocin and picrocrocin could be a promising anti-HSV and anti-HIV agent for herbal therapy against viral infections. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  13. Antiviral Activity of Sukomycin Against Potato Virus Y And Tomato Mosaic Virus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nikolay Petrov

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Potato virus Y (PVY and Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV are one of the most important plant viruses that strongly influence the quality and quantity of vegetable production and cause substantial losses to farmers. The most convetional and common method of pest and disease control is trough the use of pesticides. Unfortunately, most of them are synthetic compounds without antiviral activities and possess inherent toxicities that endanger the health of the farm operators, consumers and the environment. In order to carry out a control of viral infections in plants and to reduce the loss of production it is necessary the search for alternative and environmentally friendly methods for control. Sukomycin is a complex of substances with antimicrobial and antiviral activities produced from Streptomyces hygroscopicus isolated from soil. This natural complex reduces significantly symptoms and DAS-ELISA values of Potato virus Y and Tomato mosaic virus in tobacco plants.

  14. Antiviral RNA silencing suppression activity of Tomato spotted wilt virus NSs protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ocampo Ocampo, T; Gabriel Peralta, S M; Bacheller, N; Uiterwaal, S; Knapp, A; Hennen, A; Ochoa-Martinez, D L; Garcia-Ruiz, H

    2016-06-17

    In addition to regulating gene expression, RNA silencing is an essential antiviral defense system in plants. Triggered by double-stranded RNA, silencing results in degradation or translational repression of target transcripts. Viruses are inducers and targets of RNA silencing. To condition susceptibility, most plant viruses encode silencing suppressors that interfere with this process, such as the Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) NSs protein. The mechanism by which NSs suppresses RNA silencing and its role in viral infection and movement remain to be determined. We cloned NSs from the Hawaii isolate of TSWV and using two independent assays show for the first time that this protein restored pathogenicity and supported the formation of local infection foci by suppressor-deficient Turnip mosaic virus and Turnip crinkle virus. Demonstrating the suppression of RNA silencing directed against heterologous viruses establishes the foundation to determine the means used by NSs to block this antiviral process.

  15. Innate and intrinsic antiviral immunity in skin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawamura, Tatsuyoshi; Ogawa, Youichi; Aoki, Rui; Shimada, Shinji

    2014-09-01

    As the body's most exposed interface with the environment, the skin is constantly challenged by potentially pathogenic microbes, including viruses. To sense the invading viruses, various types of cells resident in the skin express many different pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs) such as C-type lectin receptors (CLRs), Toll-like receptors (TLRs), nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors (NLRs), retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I)-like receptors (RLRs) and cytosolic DNA sensors, that can detect the pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) of the viruses. The detection of viral PAMPs initiates two major innate immune signaling cascades: the first involves the activation of the downstream transcription factors, such as interferon regulatory factors (IRFs), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and activator protein 1 (AP-1), which cooperate to induce the transcription of type I interferons and pro-inflammatory cytokines. The second signaling pathway involves the caspase-1-mediated processing of IL-1β and IL-18 through the formation of an inflammasome complex. Cutaneous innate immunity including the production of the innate cytokines constitutes the first line of host defence that limits the virus dissemination from the skin, and also plays an important role in the activation of adaptive immune response, which represents the second line of defence. More recently, the third immunity "intrinsic immunity" has emerged, that provides an immediate and direct antiviral defense mediated by host intrinsic restriction factors. This review focuses on the recent advances regarding the antiviral immune systems, highlighting the innate and intrinsic immunity against the viral infections in the skin, and describes how viral components are recognized by cutaneous immune systems. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Bisphenol A Is More Potent than Phthalate Metabolites in Reducing Pancreatic β-Cell Function

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nina Mickelson Weldingh

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Bisphenol A (BPA and phthalates are common environmental contaminants that have been proposed to influence incidence and development of types 1 and 2 diabetes. Thus, effects of BPA and three phthalate metabolites (monoisobutyl phthalate (MiBP, mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP, and mono-(2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP were studied in the pancreatic β-cell line INS-1E, after 2–72 h of exposure to 5–500 μM. Three endpoints relevant to accelerated development of types 1 or 2 diabetes were investigated: β-cell viability, glucose-induced insulin secretion, and β-cell susceptibility to cytokine-induced cell death. BPA and the phthalate metabolites reduced cellular viability after 72 h of exposure, with BPA as the most potent chemical. Moreover, BPA, MEHP, and MnBP increased insulin secretion after 2 h of simultaneous exposure to chemicals and glucose, with potency BPA > MEHP > MnBP. Longer chemical exposures (24–72 h showed no consistent effects on glucose-induced insulin secretion, and none of the environmental chemicals affected susceptibility to cytokine-induced cell death. Overall, BPA was more potent than the investigated phthalate metabolites in affecting insulin secretion and viability in the INS-1E pancreatic β-cells. In contrast to recent literature, concentrations with relevance to human exposures (1–500 nM did not affect the investigated endpoints, suggesting that this experimental model displayed relatively low sensitivity to environmental chemical exposure.

  17. In vitro evaluation of antiviral and virucidal activity of a high molecular weight hyaluronic acid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Blasi Elisabetta

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background hyaluronic acid (HA, a non-sulphated glycosaminoglycan, is present in synovial fluid, vitreous humour serum and many connective tissues. Pharmaceutical preparations of HA are used in clinical practice for wound healing, joint pain, kerato-conjunctivitis, asthma, mouth care, oesophageal-reflux, and gastritis. Moreover, it is used as a filler to counteract ageing and facial lipoatrophy. Our study aims at investigating the in vitro antiviral activity of a high molecular weight HA. Methods the MTT test was used to rule out the potential toxic effects of HA on the different cell lines used in the antiviral assays. The antiviral activity of HA against Coxsackievirus B5, Herpes Simplex Virus-1, Mumps Virus, Adenovirus-5, Influenza Virus A/H1N1, Human Herpesvirus-6, Porcine Parvovirus, Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus was assessed by virus yield assays. Results the most effective inhibition was observed against Coxsackievirus B5, with 3Log reduction of the virus yield at 4 mg/ml, and a reduction of 3.5Log and 2Log, at 2 mg/ml and 1 mg/ml, respectively: the selectivity index was 16. Mumps virus was highly inhibited too showing a reduction of 1.7Log at 1 mg/ml and 1Log at 4 mg/ml and 2 mg/ml (selectivity index = 12. The selectivity index for Influenza Virus was 12 with the highest inhibition (1Log observed at 4 mg/ml. Herpes Simplex Virus-1 and Porcine Parvovirus were mildly inhibited, whereas no antiviral activity was observed with respect to Adenovirus-5, Human Herpesvirus-6, Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus. No HA virucidal activity was ever observed against any of the viruses tested. Kinetic experiments showed that both Coxsackievirus B5 and Herpes simplex virus-1 replication were consistently inhibited, not influenced by the time of HA addition, during the virus replication cycle. Conclusions the spectrum of the antiviral activity exhibited by HA against both RNA and DNA viruses, known to have

  18. Human Cytomegalovirus Encoded miR-US25-1-5p Attenuates CD147/EMMPRIN-Mediated Early Antiviral Response

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jun Chen

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Cellular receptor-mediated signaling pathways play critical roles during the initial immune response to Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV infection. However, the involvement of type-I transmembrane glycoprotein CD147/EMMPRIN (extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer in the antiviral response to HCMV infection is still unknown. Here, we demonstrated the specific knockdown of CD147 significantly decreased HCMV-induced activation of NF-κB and Interferon-beta (IFN-β, which contribute to the cellular antiviral responses. Next, we confirmed that HCMV-encoded miR-US25-1-5p could target the 3′ UTR (Untranslated Region of CD147 mRNA, and thus facilitate HCMV lytic propagation at a low multiplicity of infection (MOI. The expression and secretion of Cyclophilin A (sCyPA, as a ligand for CD147 and a proinflammatory cytokine, were up-regulated in response to HCMV stimuli. Finally, we confirmed that CD147 mediated HCMV-triggered antiviral signaling via the sCyPA-CD147-ERK (extracellular regulated protein kinases/NF-κB axis signaling pathway. These findings reveal an important HCMV mechanism for evading antiviral innate immunity through its encoded microRNA by targeting transmembrane glycoprotein CD147, and a potential cause of HCMV inflammatory disorders due to the secretion of proinflammatory cytokine CyPA.

  19. Detection of Nuclear Protein Profile Changes by Human Metapneumovirus M2-2 Protein Using Quantitative Differential Proteomics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuping Ren

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Human metapneumovirus (hMPV is a leading cause of lower respiratory infection in pediatric populations globally. This study examined proteomic profile changes in A549 cells infected with hMPV and two attenuated mutants with deleted PDZ domain-binding motif(s in the M2-2 protein. These motifs are involved in the interruption of antiviral signaling, namely the interaction between the TNF receptor associated factor (TRAF and mitochondrial antiviral-signaling (MAVS proteins. The aim of this study was to provide insight into the overall and novel impact of M2-2 motifs on cellular responses via an unbiased comparison. Tandem mass tagging, stable isotope labeling, and high-resolution mass spectrometry were used for quantitative proteomic analysis. Using quantitative proteomics and Venn analysis, 1248 common proteins were detected in all infected samples of both technical sets. Hierarchical clustering of the differentiated proteome displayed distinct proteomic signatures that were controlled by the motif(s. Bioinformatics and experimental analysis confirmed the differentiated proteomes, revealed novel cellular biological events, and implicated key pathways controlled by hMPV M2-2 PDZ domain-binding motif(s. This provides further insight for evaluating M2-2 mutants as potent vaccine candidates.

  20. Update On Emerging Antivirals For The Management Of Herpes Simplex Virus Infections: A Patenting Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vadlapudi, Aswani D.; Vadlapatla, Ramya K.; Mitra, Ashim K.

    2015-01-01

    Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections can be treated efficiently by the application of antiviral drugs. The herpes family of viruses is responsible for causing a wide variety of diseases in humans. The standard therapy for the management of such infections includes acyclovir (ACV) and penciclovir (PCV) with their respective prodrugs valaciclovir and famciclovir. Though effective, long term prophylaxis with the current drugs leads to development of drug-resistant viral isolates, particularly in immunocompromised patients. Moreover, some drugs are associated with dose-limiting toxicities which limit their further utility. Therefore, there is a need to develop new antiherpetic compounds with different mechanisms of action which will be safe and effective against emerging drug resistant viral isolates. Significant advances have been made towards the design and development of novel antiviral therapeutics during the last decade. As evident by their excellent antiviral activities, pharmaceutical companies are moving forward with several new compounds into various phases of clinical trials. This review provides an overview of structure and life cycle of HSV, progress in the development of new therapies, update on the advances in emerging therapeutics under clinical development and related recent patents for the treatment of Herpes simplex virus infections. PMID:23331181

  1. Multifunctional roles of leader protein of foot-and-mouth disease viruses in suppressing host antiviral responses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yingqi; Zhu, Zixiang; Zhang, Miaotao; Zheng, Haixue

    2015-10-28

    Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) leader protein (L(pro)) is a papain-like proteinase, which plays an important role in FMDV pathogenesis. L(pro) exists as two forms, Lab and Lb, due to translation being initiated from two different start codons separated by 84 nucleotides. L(pro) self-cleaves from the nascent viral polyprotein precursor as the first mature viral protein. In addition to its role as a viral proteinase, L(pro) also has the ability to antagonize host antiviral effects. To promote FMDV replication, L(pro) can suppress host antiviral responses by three different mechanisms: (1) cleavage of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4 γ (eIF4G) to shut off host protein synthesis; (2) inhibition of host innate immune responses through restriction of interferon-α/β production; and (3) L(pro) can also act as a deubiquitinase and catalyze deubiquitination of innate immune signaling molecules. In the light of recent functional and biochemical findings regarding L(pro), this review introduces the basic properties of L(pro) and the mechanisms by which it antagonizes host antiviral responses.

  2. Synthesis and SAR studies of potent imidazopyridine anticoccidial agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Gui-Bai; Qian, Xiaoxia; Feng, Dennis; Fisher, Michael; Brown, Christine M; Gurnett, Anne; Leavitt, Penny Sue; Liberator, Paul A; Misura, Andrew S; Tamas, Tamas; Schmatz, Dennis M; Wyvratt, Matthew; Biftu, Tesfaye

    2007-07-01

    Diaryl imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine derivatives, such as 6a and 7i, have been synthesized and found to be potent inhibitors of parasite PKG activity. The most potent compounds are the 7-isopropylaminomethyl analog 6a and 2-isopropylamino analog 7i. These compounds are also fully active in in vivo assay as anticoccidial agents at 25 ppm in feed.

  3. A potent adjuvant effect of a CD1d-binding NKT cell ligand in human immune system mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xiangming; Huang, Jing; Kaneko, Izumi; Zhang, Min; Iwanaga, Shiroh; Yuda, Masao; Tsuji, Moriya

    2017-01-01

    A CD1d-binding invariant natural killer T (iNKT)-cell stimulatory glycolipid, namely 7DW8-5, is shown to enhance the efficacy of radiation-attenuated sporozoites (RAS)-based malaria vaccine in mice. In the current study, we aim to determine whether 7DW8-5 can display a potent adjuvant effect in human immune system (HIS) mice. HIS-A2/hCD1d mice, which possess both functional human iNKT cells and CD8+ T cells, were generated by the transduction of NSG mice with adeno-associated virus serotype 9 expressing genes that encode human CD1d molecules and HLA-A*0201, followed by the engraftment of human hematopoietic stem cells. The magnitudes of human iNKT-cell response against 7DW8-5 and HLA-A*0201-restricted human CD8+ T-cell response against a human malaria antigen in HIS-A2/hCD1d mice were determined by using human CD1d tetramer and human HLA-A*0201 tetramer, respectively. We found that 7DW8-5 stimulates human iNKT cells in HIS-A2/hCD1d mice, as well as those derived from HIS-A2/hCD1d mice in vitro. We also found that 7DW8-5 significantly increases the level of a human malarial antigen-specific HLA-A*0201-restricted human CD8+ T-cell response in HIS-A2/hCD1d mice. Our study indicates that 7DW8-5 can display a potent adjuvant effect on RAS vaccine-induced anti-malarial immunity by augmenting malaria-specific human CD8+ T-cell response.

  4. In Vitro Bioavailability Study of an Antiviral Compound Enisamium Iodide

    OpenAIRE

    Eleonore Haltner-Ukomadu; Svitlana Gureyeva; Oleksii Burmaka; Andriy Goy; Lutz Mueller; Grygorii Kostyuk; Victor Margitich

    2018-01-01

    An investigation into the biopharmaceutics classification and a study of the in vitro bioavailability (permeability and solubility) of the antiviral compound enisamium iodide (4-(benzylcarbamoyl)-1-methylpyridinium iodide) were carried out. The solubility of enisamium iodide was determined in four different buffers. Apparent intestinal permeability (Papp) of enisamium iodide was assessed using human colon carcinoma (Caco-2) cells at three concentrations. The solubility of enisamium iodide in ...

  5. An in vitro reprogrammable antiviral RISC with size-preferential ribonuclease activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Omarov, Rustem T; Ciomperlik, Jessica; Scholthof, Herman B

    2016-03-01

    Infection of Nicotiana benthamiana plants with Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) mutants compromised for silencing suppression induces formation of an antiviral RISC (vRISC) that can be isolated using chromatography procedures. The isolated vRISC sequence-specifically degrades TBSV RNA in vitro, its activity can be down-regulated by removing siRNAs, and re-stimulated by exogenous supply of siRNAs. vRISC is most effective at hydrolyzing the ~4.8kb genomic RNA, but less so for a ~2.2kb TBSV subgenomic mRNA (sgRNA1), while the 3' co-terminal sgRNA2 of ~0.9kb appears insensitive to vRISC cleavage. Moreover, experiments with in vitro generated 5' co-terminal viral transcripts show that RNAs of ~2.7kb are efficiently cleaved while those of ~1.1kb or shorter are unaffected. The isolated antiviral ribonuclease complex fails to degrade ~0.4kb defective interfering RNAs (DIs) in vitro, agreeing with findings that in plants DIs are not targeted by silencing. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  6. NSs protein of Schmallenberg virus counteracts the antiviral response of the cell by inhibiting its transcriptional machinery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barry, Gerald; Varela, Mariana; Ratinier, Maxime; Blomström, Anne-Lie; Caporale, Marco; Seehusen, Frauke; Hahn, Kerstin; Schnettler, Esther; Baumgärtner, Wolfgang; Kohl, Alain; Palmarini, Massimo

    2014-08-01

    Bunyaviruses have evolved a variety of strategies to counteract the antiviral defence systems of mammalian cells. Here we show that the NSs protein of Schmallenberg virus (SBV) induces the degradation of the RPB1 subunit of RNA polymerase II and consequently inhibits global cellular protein synthesis and the antiviral response. In addition, we show that the SBV NSs protein enhances apoptosis in vitro and possibly in vivo, suggesting that this protein could be involved in SBV pathogenesis in different ways. © 2014 The Authors.

  7. Defense and counterdefense in the RNAi-based antiviral immune system in insects

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Mierlo, J.T.; van Cleef, K.W.; Rij, R.P. van

    2011-01-01

    RNA interference (RNAi) is an important pathway to combat virus infections in insects and plants. Hallmarks of antiviral RNAi in these organisms are: (1) an increase in virus replication after inactivation of major actors in the RNAi pathway, (2) production of virus-derived small interfering RNAs

  8. The human cathelicidin LL-37 has antiviral activity against respiratory syncytial virus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silke M Currie

    Full Text Available Respiratory syncytial virus is a leading cause of lower respiratory tract illness among infants, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Currently, there is no effective vaccine or disease modifying treatment available and novel interventions are urgently required. Cathelicidins are cationic host defence peptides expressed in the inflamed lung, with key roles in innate host defence against infection. We demonstrate that the human cathelicidin LL-37 has effective antiviral activity against RSV in vitro, retained by a truncated central peptide fragment. LL-37 prevented virus-induced cell death in epithelial cultures, significantly inhibited the production of new infectious particles and diminished the spread of infection, with antiviral effects directed both against the viral particles and the epithelial cells. LL-37 may represent an important targetable component of innate host defence against RSV infection. Prophylactic modulation of LL-37 expression and/or use of synthetic analogues post-infection may represent future novel strategies against RSV infection.

  9. Hepatitis C virus cell-cell transmission and resistance to direct-acting antiviral agents

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Xiao, Fei; Fofana, Isabel; Heydmann, Laura

    2014-01-01

    Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is transmitted between hepatocytes via classical cell entry but also uses direct cell-cell transfer to infect neighboring hepatocytes. Viral cell-cell transmission has been shown to play an important role in viral persistence allowing evasion from neutralizing antibodies....... In contrast, the role of HCV cell-cell transmission for antiviral resistance is unknown. Aiming to address this question we investigated the phenotype of HCV strains exhibiting resistance to direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in state-of-the-art model systems for cell-cell transmission and spread. Using HCV...... genotype 2 as a model virus, we show that cell-cell transmission is the main route of viral spread of DAA-resistant HCV. Cell-cell transmission of DAA-resistant viruses results in viral persistence and thus hampers viral eradication. We also show that blocking cell-cell transmission using host...

  10. European display scene

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartlett, Christopher T.

    2000-08-01

    The manufacture of Flat Panel Displays (FPDs) is dominated by Far Eastern sources, particularly in Active Matrix Liquid Crystal Displays (AMLCD) and Plasma. The United States has a very powerful capability in micro-displays. It is not well known that Europe has a very active research capability which has lead to many innovations in display technology. In addition there is a capability in display manufacturing of organic technologies as well as the licensed build of Japanese or Korean designs. Finally, Europe has a display systems capability in military products which is world class.

  11. Antiviral activity of Dianthus superbusn L. against hepatitis B virus in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Hepatitis is a viral infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV). Limitations of drug used in the management of it opens the interest related to alternative medicine. The given study deals with the antiviral activity of Dianthus superbusn L. (DSL) against HBV in vitro & in vivo. Material and Methods: In vitro study liver cell line ...

  12. Effect of display location on control-display stereotype strength for translational and rotational controls with linear displays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Alan H S; Hoffmann, Errol R

    2015-01-01

    Experiments were designed to investigate the effects of control type and display location, relative to the operator, on the strength of control/display stereotypes. The Worringham and Beringer Visual Field principle and an extension of this principle for rotary controls (Hoffmann E.R., and Chan A.H.S. 2013). "The Worringham and Beringer 'Visual Field' Principle for Rotary Controls. Ergonomics." 56 (10): 1620-1624) indicated that, for a number of different control types (rotary and lever) on different planes, there should be no significant effect of the display location relative to the seated operator. Past data were surveyed and stereotype strengths listed. Experiments filled gaps where data are not available. Six different control types and seven display locations were used, as in the Frame of Reference Transformation Tool (FORT) model of Wickens et al. (Wickens, C.D., Keller, J.W., and Small, R.L. (2010). "Left. No, Right! Development of the Frame of Reference Transformation Tool (FORT)." Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 54th Annual Meeting September 2010, 54: 1022-1026). Control/display arrangements with high stereotype strengths were evaluated yielding data for designers of complex control/display arrangements where the control and display are in different planes and for where the operator is moving. It was found possible to predict display/control arrangements with high stereotype strength, based on past data. Practitioner Summary: Controls and displays in complex arrangements need to have high compatibility. These experiments provide arrangements for six different controls (rotary and translational) and seven different display locations relative to the operator.

  13. Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge: 2000 Greener Synthetic Pathways Award

    Science.gov (United States)

    Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge 2000 award winner, Roche Colorado, developed a greener synthesis for gancyclovir (Cytovene, a potent antiviral drug) that uses a second-generation Guanine Triester (GTE) process.

  14. Future of liver disease in the era of direct acting antivirals for the treatment of hepatitis C

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Francesca Romana Ponziani; Francesca Mangiola; Cecilia Binda; Maria Assunta Zocco; Massimo Siciliano; Antonio Grieco; Gian Lodovico Rapaccini; Maurizio Pompili; Antonio Gasbarrini

    2017-01-01

    Hepatitis C virus(HCV) infection has been a global health problem for decades, due to the high number of infected people and to the lack of effective and welltolerated therapies. In the last 3 years, the approval of new direct acting antivirals characterized by high rates of virological clearance and excellent tolerability has dramatically improved HCV infection curability, especially for patients with advanced liver disease and for liver transplant recipients. Long-term data about the impact of the new direct acting antivirals on liver fibrosis and liver disease-related outcomes are not yet available, due to their recent introduction. However, previously published data deriving from the use of pegylatedinterferon and ribavirin lead to hypothesizing that we are going to observe, in the future, a reduction in mortality and in the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma, as well as a regression of fibrosis for people previously affected by hepatitis C. In the liver transplant setting, clinical improvement has already been described after treatment with the new direct acting antivirals, which has often led to patients delisting. In the future, this may hopefully reduce the gap between liver organ request and availability, probably expanding liver transplant indications to other clinical conditions. Therefore, these new drugs are going to change the natural history of HCV-related liver disease and the epidemiology of HCV infection worldwide. However, the global consequences will depend on treatment accessibility and on the number of countries that could afford the use of the new direct acting antivirals.

  15. Neurological outcomes in symptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus-infected infants after introduction of newborn urine screening and antiviral treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishida, Kosuke; Morioka, Ichiro; Nakamachi, Yuji; Kobayashi, Yoko; Imanishi, Takamitsu; Kawano, Seiji; Iwatani, Sota; Koda, Tsubasa; Deguchi, Masashi; Tanimura, Kenji; Yamashita, Daisuke; Nibu, Ken-Ichi; Funakoshi, Toru; Ohashi, Masanobu; Inoue, Naoki; Iijima, Kazumoto; Yamada, Hideto

    2016-02-01

    Newborn screening for urinary cytomegalovirus (CMV) and early introduction of antiviral treatment are expected to improve neurological outcomes in symptomatic congenital CMV-infected infants. This cohort study prospectively evaluated neurological outcomes in symptomatic congenital CMV-infected infants following the introduction of hospital-based newborn urinary CMV screening and antiviral treatment. Following institutional review board approval and written informed consent from their parents, newborns were prospectively screened from 2009 to 2014 for urinary CMV-DNA by PCR within 1 week after birth at Kobe University Hospital and affiliated hospitals. CMV-positive newborns were further examined at Kobe University Hospital, and those diagnosed as symptomatic were treated with valganciclovir for 6 weeks plus immunoglobulin. Clinical neurological outcomes were evaluated at age ⩾12 months and categorized by the presence and severity of neurologic sequelae. Urine samples of 6348 newborns were screened, with 32 (0.50%) positive for CMV. Of these, 16 were diagnosed with symptomatic infection and 12 received antiviral treatment. Four infants developed severe impairment (33%), three developed mild impairment (25%), and five developed normally (42%). This is the first Japanese report of neurological assessments in infants with symptomatic congenital CMV infection who received early diagnosis and antiviral treatment. Urinary screening, resulting in early diagnosis and treatment, may yield better neurological outcomes in symptomatic congenital CMV-infected infants. Copyright © 2015 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Displays in scintigraphy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Todd-Pokropek, A.E.; Pizer, S.M.

    1977-01-01

    Displays have several functions: to transmit images, to permit interaction, to quantitate features and to provide records. The main characteristics of displays used for image transmission are their resolution, dynamic range, signal-to-noise ratio and uniformity. Considerations of visual acuity suggest that the display element size should be much less than the data element size, and in current practice at least 256X256 for a gamma camera image. The dynamic range for image transmission should be such that at least 64 levels of grey (or equivalent) are displayed. Scanner displays are also considered, and in particular, the requirements of a whole-body camera are examined. A number of display systems and devices are presented including a 'new' heated object colour display system. Interaction with displays is considered, including background subtraction, contrast enhancement, position indication and region-of-interest generation. Such systems lead to methods of quantitation, which imply knowledge of the expected distributions. Methods for intercomparing displays are considered. Polaroid displays, which have for so long dominated the field, are in the process of being replaced by stored image displays, now that large cheap memories exist which give an equivalent image quality. The impact of this in nuclear medicine is yet to be seen, but a major effect will be to enable true quantitation. (author)

  17. Evolution from a natural flavones nucleus to obtain 2-(4-Propoxyphenyl)quinoline derivatives as potent inhibitors of the S. aureus NorA efflux pump.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabatini, Stefano; Gosetto, Francesca; Manfroni, Giuseppe; Tabarrini, Oriana; Kaatz, Glenn W; Patel, Diixa; Cecchetti, Violetta

    2011-08-25

    Overexpression of efflux pumps is an important mechanism by which bacteria evade the effects of substrate antimicrobial agents. Inhibition of such pumps is a promising strategy to circumvent this resistance mechanism. NorA is a Staphylococcus aureus efflux pump that confers reduced susceptibility to many structurally unrelated agents, including fluoroquinolones, resulting in a multidrug resistant phenotype. In this work, a series of 2-phenyl-4(1H)-quinolone and 2-phenyl-4-hydroxyquinoline derivatives, obtained by modifying the flavone nucleus of known efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs), were synthesized in an effort to identify more potent S. aureus NorA EPIs. The 2-phenyl-4-hydroxyquinoline derivatives 28f and 29f display potent EPI activity against SA-1199B, a strain that overexpresses norA, in an ethidium bromide efflux inhibition assay. The same compounds, in combination with ciprofloxacin, were able to completely restore its antibacterial activity against both S. aureus SA-K2378 and SA-1199B, norA-overexpressing strains. © 2011 American Chemical Society

  18. A High Throughput In Vivo Model for Testing Delivery and Antiviral Effects of siRNAs in Vertebrates

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schyth, Brian Dall; Lorenzen, Niels; Pedersen, Finn Skou

    2007-01-01

    composed of small juvenile rainbow trout and a fish pathogenic virus to analyze the delivery and antiviral effects of formulated siRNAs. Intraperitoneally (IP) injected siRNAs formulated in polycationic liposomes, and to a lesser degree naked siRNAs, primarily entered free IP cells, including macrophage......-like cells. Uptake in these cells correlated with antiviral activity, seen as reduced mortality of virus-challenged fish. However, protection at the disease level was not dependent upon which of three tested siRNAs was used, and protection correlated with up-regulation of an interferon (IFN)-related gene...

  19. The antiviral activity of arctigenin in traditional Chinese medicine on porcine circovirus type 2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Jie; Li, Wentao; Jin, Erguang; He, Qigai; Yan, Weidong; Yang, Hanchun; Gong, Shiyu; Guo, Yi; Fu, Shulin; Chen, Xiabing; Ye, Shengqiang; Qian, Yunguo

    2016-06-01

    Arctigenin (ACT) is a phenylpropanoid dibenzylbutyrolactone lignan extracted from the traditional herb Arctium lappa L. (Compositae) with anti-viral and anti-inflammatory effects. Here, we investigated the antiviral activity of ACT found in traditional Chinese medicine on porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) in vitro and in vivo. Results showed that dosing of 15.6-62.5μg/mL ACT could significantly inhibit the PCV2 proliferation in PK-15 cells (P<0.01). Dosing of 62.5μg/mL ACT 0, 4 or 8h after challenge inoculation significantly inhibited the proliferation of 1MOI and 10MOI in PK-15 cells (P<0.01), and the inhibitory effect of ACT dosing 4h or 8h post-inoculation was greater than 0h after dosing (P<0.01). In vivo test with mice challenge against PCV2 infection demonstrated that intraperitoneal injection of 200μg/kg ACT significantly inhibited PCV2 proliferation in the lungs, spleens and inguinal lymph nodes, with an effect similar to ribavirin, demonstrating the effectiveness of ACT as an antiviral agent against PCV2 in vitro and in vivo. This compound, therefore, may have the potential to serve as a drug for protection of pigs against the infection of PCV2. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. NEOGLYCOPROTEINS AS CARRIERS FOR ANTIVIRAL DRUGS - SYNTHESIS AND ANALYSIS OF PROTEIN DRUG CONJUGATES

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Molema, Grietje; Jansen, Robert W.; Visser, Jan; Herdewijn, Piet; Moolenaar, Frits; Meijer, Dirk K.F.

    In order to investigate whether neoglycoproteins can potentially act as carriers for targeting of antiviral drugs to certain cell types in the body, various neoglycoproteins were synthesized using thiophosgene-activated p-aminophenyl sugar derivatives. These neoglycoproteins were conjugated with the

  1. pH Optimum of Hemagglutinin-Mediated Membrane Fusion Determines Sensitivity of Influenza A Viruses to the Interferon-Induced Antiviral State and IFITMs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerlach, Thomas; Hensen, Luca; Matrosovich, Tatyana; Bergmann, Janina; Winkler, Michael; Peteranderl, Christin; Klenk, Hans-Dieter; Weber, Friedemann; Herold, Susanne; Pöhlmann, Stefan; Matrosovich, Mikhail

    2017-06-01

    The replication and pathogenicity of influenza A viruses (IAVs) critically depend on their ability to tolerate the antiviral interferon (IFN) response. To determine a potential role for the IAV hemagglutinin (HA) in viral sensitivity to IFN, we studied the restriction of IAV infection in IFN-β-treated human epithelial cells by using 2:6 recombinant IAVs that shared six gene segments of A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 virus (PR8) and contained HAs and neuraminidases of representative avian, human, and zoonotic H5N1 and H7N9 viruses. In A549 and Calu-3 cells, viruses displaying a higher pH optimum of HA-mediated membrane fusion, H5N1-PR8 and H7N9-PR8, were less sensitive to the IFN-induced antiviral state than their counterparts with HAs from duck and human viruses, which fused at a lower pH. The association between a high pH optimum of fusion and reduced IFN sensitivity was confirmed by using HA point mutants of A/Hong Kong/1/1968-PR8 that differed solely by their fusion properties. Furthermore, similar effects of the viral fusion pH on IFN sensitivity were observed in experiments with (i) primary human type II alveolar epithelial cells and differentiated cultures of human airway epithelial cells, (ii) nonrecombinant zoonotic and pandemic IAVs, and (iii) preparations of IFN-α and IFN-λ1. A higher pH of membrane fusion and reduced sensitivity to IFN correlated with lower restriction of the viruses in MDCK cells stably expressing the IFN-inducible transmembrane proteins IFITM2 and IFITM3, which are known to inhibit viral fusion. Our results reveal that the pH optimum of HA-driven membrane fusion of IAVs is a determinant of their sensitivity to IFN and IFITM proteins. IMPORTANCE The IFN system constitutes an important innate defense against viral infection. Substantial information is available on how IAVs avoid detection by sensors of the IFN system and disable IFN signaling pathways. Much less is known about the ability of IAVs to tolerate the antiviral activity of IFN

  2. IFN regulatory factor 1 restricts hepatitis E virus replication by activating STAT1 to induce antiviral IFN-stimulated genes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Lei; Zhou, Xinying; Wang, Wenshi; Wang, Yijin; Yin, Yuebang; Laan, Luc J W van der; Sprengers, Dave; Metselaar, Herold J; Peppelenbosch, Maikel P; Pan, Qiuwei

    2016-10-01

    IFN regulatory factor 1 (IRF1) is one of the most important IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) in cellular antiviral immunity. Although hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a leading cause of acute hepatitis worldwide, how ISGs counteract HEV infection is largely unknown. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of IRF1 on HEV replication. Multiple cell lines were used in 2 models that harbor HEV. In different HEV cell culture systems, IRF1 effectively inhibited HEV replication. IRF1 did not trigger IFN production, and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing data analysis revealed that IRF1 bound to the promoter region of signal transducers and activators of transcription 1 (STAT1). Functional assay confirmed that IRF1 could drive the transcription of STAT1, resulting in elevation of total and phosphorylated STAT1 proteins and further activating the transcription of a panel of downstream antiviral ISGs. By pharmacological inhibitors and RNAi-mediated gene-silencing approaches, we revealed that antiviral function of IRF1 is dependent on the JAK-STAT cascade. Furthermore, induction of ISGs and the anti-HEV effect of IRF1 overlapped that of IFNα, but was potentiated by ribavirin. We demonstrated that IRF1 effectively inhibits HEV replication through the activation of the JAK-STAT pathway, and the subsequent transcription of antiviral ISGs, but independent of IFN production.-Xu, L., Zhou, X., Wang, W., Wang, Y., Yin, Y., van der Laan, L. J. W., Sprengers, D., Metselaar, H. J., Peppelenbosch, M. P., Pan, Q. IFN regulatory factor 1 restricts hepatitis E virus replication by activating STAT1 to induce antiviral IFN-stimulated genes. © FASEB.

  3. Monocular display unit for 3D display with correct depth perception

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakamoto, Kunio; Hosomi, Takashi

    2009-11-01

    A study of virtual-reality system has been popular and its technology has been applied to medical engineering, educational engineering, a CAD/CAM system and so on. The 3D imaging display system has two types in the presentation method; one is a 3-D display system using a special glasses and the other is the monitor system requiring no special glasses. A liquid crystal display (LCD) recently comes into common use. It is possible for this display unit to provide the same size of displaying area as the image screen on the panel. A display system requiring no special glasses is useful for a 3D TV monitor, but this system has demerit such that the size of a monitor restricts the visual field for displaying images. Thus the conventional display can show only one screen, but it is impossible to enlarge the size of a screen, for example twice. To enlarge the display area, the authors have developed an enlarging method of display area using a mirror. Our extension method enables the observers to show the virtual image plane and to enlarge a screen area twice. In the developed display unit, we made use of an image separating technique using polarized glasses, a parallax barrier or a lenticular lens screen for 3D imaging. The mirror can generate the virtual image plane and it enlarges a screen area twice. Meanwhile the 3D display system using special glasses can also display virtual images over a wide area. In this paper, we present a monocular 3D vision system with accommodation mechanism, which is useful function for perceiving depth.

  4. Antiviral drug profile of human influenza A & B viruses circulating in India: 2004-2011

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V A Potdar

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background & objectives: Recent influenza antiviral resistance studies in South East Asia, Europe and the United States reveal adamantane and neuraminidase inhibitor (NAIs resistance. This study was undertaken to evaluate antiviral resistance in influenza viruses isolated from various parts of India, during 2004 to 2011. Methods: Influenza viruses were analyzed genetically for known resistance markers by M2 and NA gene sequencing. Influenza A/H1N1 (n=206, A/H3N2 (n=371 viruses for amantadine resistance and A/H1N1 (n=206, A/H3N2 (n=272 and type B (n=326 for oseltamivir resistance were sequenced. Pandemic (H1N1 (n= 493 isolates were tested for H274Y mutation by real time reverse transcription (rRT-PCR. Randomly selected resistant and sensitive influenza A/H1N1 and A/H3N2 viruses were confirmed by phenotypic assay. Results: Serine to asparagine (S3IN mutation was detected in six isolates of 2007-2008.One dual-resistant A/H1N1 was detected for the first time in India with leucine to phenylalanine (L26F mutation in M2 gene and H274Y mutation in NA gene. A/H3N2 viruses showed an increase in resistance to amantadine from 22.5 per cent in 2005 to 100 per cent in 2008 onwards with S3IN mutation. Fifty of the 61 (82% A/H1N1 viruses tested in 2008-2009 were oseltamivir resistant with H274Y mutation, while all A/H3N2, pandemic A/H1N1 and type B isolates remained sensitive. Genetic results were also confirmed by phenotypic analysis of randomly selected 50 resistant A/H1N1 and 40 sensitive A/H3N2 isolates. Interpretation & conclusions: Emergence of influenza viruses resistant to amantadine and oseltamivir in spite of negligible usage of antivirals emphasizes the need for continuous monitoring of antiviral resistance.

  5. Addressing the selectivity and toxicity of antiviral nucleosides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Joy Y

    2018-01-01

    Nucleoside and nucleotide analogs have played significant roles in antiviral therapies and are valued for their impressive potency and high barrier to resistance. They have been approved for treatment of herpes simplex virus-1, HIV, HBV, HCV, and influenza, and new drugs are being developed for the treatment of RSV, Ebola, coronavirus MERS, and other emerging viruses. However, this class of compounds has also experienced a high attrition rate in clinical trials due to toxicity. In this review, we discuss the utility of different biochemical and cell-based assays and provide recommendations for assessing toxicity liability before entering animal toxicity studies.

  6. Antiviral therapy and prophylaxis of acute respiratory infections

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. V. Osidak

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Thearticle presents the results of years of studies (including biochemical and immunological of the effectiveness of application and prophylaxis (in relation to nosocomial infections and the safety of antiviral chemical preparation Arbidol in 694 children with influenza and influenza-like illness, including the coronavirus infection (43 children and combined lesions of respiratory tract (150, indicating the possible inclusion of the drug in the complex therapy for children with the listed diseases, regardless of the severity and nature of their course. The studies were conducted according to the regulated standard of test conditions and randomized clinical trials.

  7. Antiviral activity against human immunodeficiency virus-1 in vitro by myristoylated-peptide from Heliothis virescens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ourth, Donald D.

    2004-01-01

    An insect antiviral compound was purified from Heliothis virescens larval hemolymph by gel-filtration high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and C-18 reverse-phase HPLC and its structure was determined by mass spectrometry. The antiviral compound is an N-myristoylated-peptide containing six amino acids with calculated molecular weight of 916 Da. The N-terminus contains the fatty acid myristoyl, and the C-terminus contains histidine with two methyl groups giving the histidine a permanent positive charge. The remainder of the compound is essentially non-polar. The structure of the compound corresponds with the 'myristate plus basic' motif expressed by certain viral proteins in their binding to the cytoplasmic side of the plasma membrane to initiate viral assembly and budding from a host cell. The insect antiviral compound may inhibit viral assembly and/or budding of viruses from host cells that could include the human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) and herpes simplex virus-1 that use this motif for exit from a host cell. Using the formazan assay, the myristoylated-peptide was effective against HIV-1, with a nine times increase in the viability and protection in vitro of treated CEM-SS cells when compared with infected but untreated control cells

  8. Highly Potent Antibacterial Organometallic Peptide Conjugates

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Albada, Bauke; Metzler-Nolte, Nils

    2017-01-01

    ConspectusResistance of pathogenic bacteria against currently marketed antibiotics is again increasing. To meet the societal need for effective cures, scientists are faced with the challenge of developing more potent but equally bacteria-specific drugs. Currently, most efforts are directed toward

  9. CEACAM1 induces B-cell survival and is essential for protective antiviral antibody production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khairnar, Vishal; Duhan, Vikas; Maney, Sathish Kumar; Honke, Nadine; Shaabani, Namir; Pandyra, Aleksandra A.; Seifert, Marc; Pozdeev, Vitaly; Xu, Haifeng C.; Sharma, Piyush; Baldin, Fabian; Marquardsen, Florian; Merches, Katja; Lang, Elisabeth; Kirschning, Carsten; Westendorf, Astrid M.; Häussinger, Dieter; Lang, Florian; Dittmer, Ulf; Küppers, Ralf; Recher, Mike; Hardt, Cornelia; Scheffrahn, Inka; Beauchemin, Nicole; Göthert, Joachim R.; Singer, Bernhard B.; Lang, Philipp A.; Lang, Karl S.

    2015-01-01

    B cells are essential for antiviral immune defence because they produce neutralizing antibodies, present antigen and maintain the lymphoid architecture. Here we show that intrinsic signalling of CEACAM1 is essential for generating efficient B-cell responses. Although CEACAM1 exerts limited influence on the proliferation of B cells, expression of CEACAM1 induces survival of proliferating B cells via the BTK/Syk/NF-κB-axis. The absence of this signalling cascade in naive Ceacam1−/− mice limits the survival of B cells. During systemic infection with cytopathic vesicular stomatitis virus, Ceacam1−/− mice can barely induce neutralizing antibody responses and die early after infection. We find, therefore, that CEACAM1 is a crucial regulator of B-cell survival, influencing B-cell numbers and protective antiviral antibody responses. PMID:25692415

  10. Nutritional and Chemical Composition and Antiviral Activity of Cultivated Seaweed Sargassum naozhouense Tseng et Lu 

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yonghong Liu

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Sargassum naozhouense is a brown seaweed used in folk medicine and applied for thousands of years in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province, China. This study is the first time to investigate its chemical composition and antiviral activity. On the dry weight basis, this seaweed was constituted of ca. 35.18% ash, 11.20% protein, 1.06% lipid and 47.73% total carbohydrate, and the main carbohydrate was water-soluble polysaccharide. The protein analysis indicated the presence of essential amino acids, which accounted for 36.35% of the protein. The most abundant fatty acids were C14:0, C16:0, C18:1 and C20:4. The ash fraction analysis indicated that essential minerals and trace elements, such as Fe, Zn and Cu, were present in the seaweed. IR analysis revealed that polysaccharides from cultivated S. naozhouense may be alginates and fucoidan. The polysaccharides possessed strong antiviral activity against HSV-1 in vitro with EC50 of 8.92 μg/mL. These results demonstrated cultivated S. naozhouense has a potential for its use in functional foods and antiviral new drugs.

  11. Membrane-bound IL-12 and IL-23 serve as potent mucosal adjuvants when co-presented on whole inactivated influenza vaccines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Tila; Heffron, Connie L; High, Kevin P; Roberts, Paul C

    2014-05-03

    Potent and safe adjuvants are needed to improve the efficacy of parenteral and mucosal vaccines. Cytokines, chemokines and growth factors have all proven to be effective immunomodulatory adjuvants when administered with a variety of antigens. We have previously evaluated the efficacy of membrane-anchored interleukins (IL) such as IL-2 and IL-4 co-presented as Cytokine-bearing Influenza Vaccines (CYT-IVACs) using a mouse model of influenza challenge. Here, we describe studies evaluating the parenteral and mucosal adjuvanticity of membrane-bound IL-12 and IL-23 CYT-IVACs in young adult mice. Mucosal immunization using IL-12 and IL-23 bearing whole influenza virus vaccine (WIV) was more effective at eliciting virus-specific nasal IgA and reducing viral lung burden following challenge compared to control WIV vaccinated animals. Both IL-12 and IL-23 bearing WIV elicited the highest anti-viral IgA levels in serum and nasal washes. This study highlights for the first time the mucosal adjuvant potential of IL-12 and IL-23 CYT-IVAC formulations in eliciting mucosal immune responses and reducing viral lung burden. The co-presentation of immunomodulators in direct context with viral antigen in whole inactivated viral vaccines may provide a means to significantly lower the dose of vaccine required for protection.

  12. Broad-spectrum non-toxic antiviral nanoparticles with a virucidal inhibition mechanism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cagno, Valeria; Andreozzi, Patrizia; D'Alicarnasso, Marco; Jacob Silva, Paulo; Mueller, Marie; Galloux, Marie; Le Goffic, Ronan; Jones, Samuel T.; Vallino, Marta; Hodek, Jan; Weber, Jan; Sen, Soumyo; Janeček, Emma-Rose; Bekdemir, Ahmet; Sanavio, Barbara; Martinelli, Chiara; Donalisio, Manuela; Rameix Welti, Marie-Anne; Eleouet, Jean-Francois; Han, Yanxiao; Kaiser, Laurent; Vukovic, Lela; Tapparel, Caroline; Král, Petr; Krol, Silke; Lembo, David; Stellacci, Francesco

    2018-02-01

    Viral infections kill millions yearly. Available antiviral drugs are virus-specific and active against a limited panel of human pathogens. There are broad-spectrum substances that prevent the first step of virus-cell interaction by mimicking heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG), the highly conserved target of viral attachment ligands (VALs). The reversible binding mechanism prevents their use as a drug, because, upon dilution, the inhibition is lost. Known VALs are made of closely packed repeating units, but the aforementioned substances are able to bind only a few of them. We designed antiviral nanoparticles with long and flexible linkers mimicking HSPG, allowing for effective viral association with a binding that we simulate to be strong and multivalent to the VAL repeating units, generating forces (~190 pN) that eventually lead to irreversible viral deformation. Virucidal assays, electron microscopy images, and molecular dynamics simulations support the proposed mechanism. These particles show no cytotoxicity, and in vitro nanomolar irreversible activity against herpes simplex virus (HSV), human papilloma virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), dengue and lenti virus. They are active ex vivo in human cervicovaginal histocultures infected by HSV-2 and in vivo in mice infected with RSV.

  13. High throughput screening for small molecule enhancers of the interferon signaling pathway to drive next-generation antiviral drug discovery.

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    Dhara A Patel

    Full Text Available Most of current strategies for antiviral therapeutics target the virus specifically and directly, but an alternative approach to drug discovery might be to enhance the immune response to a broad range of viruses. Based on clinical observation in humans and successful genetic strategies in experimental models, we reasoned that an improved interferon (IFN signaling system might better protect against viral infection. Here we aimed to identify small molecular weight compounds that might mimic this beneficial effect and improve antiviral defense. Accordingly, we developed a cell-based high-throughput screening (HTS assay to identify small molecules that enhance the IFN signaling pathway components. The assay is based on a phenotypic screen for increased IFN-stimulated response element (ISRE activity in a fully automated and robust format (Z'>0.7. Application of this assay system to a library of 2240 compounds (including 2160 already approved or approvable drugs led to the identification of 64 compounds with significant ISRE activity. From these, we chose the anthracycline antibiotic, idarubicin, for further validation and mechanism based on activity in the sub-µM range. We found that idarubicin action to increase ISRE activity was manifest by other members of this drug class and was independent of cytotoxic or topoisomerase inhibitory effects as well as endogenous IFN signaling or production. We also observed that this compound conferred a consequent increase in IFN-stimulated gene (ISG expression and a significant antiviral effect using a similar dose-range in a cell-culture system inoculated with encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV. The antiviral effect was also found at compound concentrations below the ones observed for cytotoxicity. Taken together, our results provide proof of concept for using activators of components of the IFN signaling pathway to improve IFN efficacy and antiviral immune defense as well as a validated HTS approach to identify

  14. Chemical composition of 8 eucalyptus species' essential oils and the evaluation of their antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elaissi Ameur

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In 1957, Tunisia introduced 117 species of Eucalyptus; they have been used as fire wood, for the production of mine wood and to fight erosion. Actually, Eucalyptus essential oil is traditionally used to treat respiratory tract disorders such as pharyngitis, bronchitis, and sinusitis. A few investigations were reported on the biological activities of Eucalyptus oils worldwide. In Tunisia, our previous works conducted in 2010 and 2011 had been the first reports to study the antibacterial activities against reference strains. At that time it was not possible to evaluate their antimicrobial activities against clinical bacterial strains and other pathogens such as virus and fungi. Methods The essential oils of eight Eucalyptus species harvested from the Jbel Abderrahman, Korbous (North East Tunisia and Souinet arboreta (North of Tunisia were evaluated for their antimicrobial activities by disc diffusion and microbroth dilution methods against seven bacterial isolates: Haemophilus influenzae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes. In addition, the bactericidal, fungicidal and the antiviral activities of the tested oils were carried out. Results Twenty five components were identified by GC/FID and GC/MS. These components were used to correlate with the biological activities of the tested oils. The chemical principal component analysis identified three groups, each of them constituted a chemotype. According to the values of zone diameter and percentage of the inhibition (zdi, % I, respectively, four groups and subgroups of bacterial strains and three groups of fungal strains were characterized by their sensitivity levels to Eucalyptus oils. The cytotoxic effect and the antiviral activity varied significantly within Eucalyptus species oils. Conclusions E. odorata showed the strongest activity against S. aureus, H. influenzae

  15. Chemical composition of 8 eucalyptus species' essential oils and the evaluation of their antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activities

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Background In 1957, Tunisia introduced 117 species of Eucalyptus; they have been used as fire wood, for the production of mine wood and to fight erosion. Actually, Eucalyptus essential oil is traditionally used to treat respiratory tract disorders such as pharyngitis, bronchitis, and sinusitis. A few investigations were reported on the biological activities of Eucalyptus oils worldwide. In Tunisia, our previous works conducted in 2010 and 2011 had been the first reports to study the antibacterial activities against reference strains. At that time it was not possible to evaluate their antimicrobial activities against clinical bacterial strains and other pathogens such as virus and fungi. Methods The essential oils of eight Eucalyptus species harvested from the Jbel Abderrahman, Korbous (North East Tunisia) and Souinet arboreta (North of Tunisia) were evaluated for their antimicrobial activities by disc diffusion and microbroth dilution methods against seven bacterial isolates: Haemophilus influenzae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes. In addition, the bactericidal, fungicidal and the antiviral activities of the tested oils were carried out. Results Twenty five components were identified by GC/FID and GC/MS. These components were used to correlate with the biological activities of the tested oils. The chemical principal component analysis identified three groups, each of them constituted a chemotype. According to the values of zone diameter and percentage of the inhibition (zdi, % I, respectively), four groups and subgroups of bacterial strains and three groups of fungal strains were characterized by their sensitivity levels to Eucalyptus oils. The cytotoxic effect and the antiviral activity varied significantly within Eucalyptus species oils. Conclusions E. odorata showed the strongest activity against S. aureus, H. influenzae, S. agalactiae, S. pyogenes

  16. Corticosteroids vs corticosteroids plus antiviral agents in the treatment of Bell palsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goudakos, John K; Markou, Konstantinos D

    2009-06-01

    To review systematically and meta-analyze the results of all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for the treatment of patients with Bell palsy with corticosteroids vs corticosteroids plus antiviral agents. A MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and CENTRAL database search, followed by extensive hand-searching for the identification of relevant studies. No time and language limitations were applied. Prospective RCTs on the treatment of patients with Bell palsy. Odds ratios (ORs), 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and tests for heterogeneity were reported. Five studies were eventually identified and systematically reviewed. Meta-analysis was performed for 4 studies. Regarding the complete recovery rate of facial nerve paralysis 3 months after initiation of therapy, the current systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that the addition of an antiviral agent does not provide any benefit (OR, 1.03 [95% CI, 0.74-1.42]; P = .88). The same conclusion emerged at posterior (fourth, sixth, and ninth) months of assessment. Subgroup analysis, conducted on the basis of time point of therapy initiation, type of antiviral agent, and blindness of assessments did not change the results obtained. The occurrence rate of adverse effects attributable to therapy choice was not significantly different between patients receiving corticosteroids and those following combined treatment. The present systematic review and meta-analysis, based on the currently available evidence, suggests that the addition of an antiviral agent to corticosteroids for the treatment of Bell palsy is not associated with an increase in the complete recovery rate of the facial motor function.

  17. In-Vitro Antiviral Activities of Extracts of Plants of The Brazilian Cerrado against the Avian Metapneumovirus (aMPV

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    LK Kohn

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACTAvian metapneumovirus (aMPV is a negative-sense single-stranded RNA enveloped virus of the Metapneumovirus genus belonging to theParamyxoviridae family. This virus may cause significant economic losses to the poultry industry, despite vaccination, which is the main tool for controlling and preventing aMPV. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antiviral activity of extracts of four different native plants of the Brazilian Cerrado against aMPV. The antiviral activity against aMPV was determined by titration. This technique measures the ability of plant extract dilutions (25 to 2.5 µg mL-1 to inhibit the cytopathic effect (CPE of the virus, expressed as inhibition percentage (IP. The maximum nontoxic concentration (MNTC of the extracts used in antiviral assay was 25 µg mL-1for Aspidosperma tomentosumand Gaylussacia brasiliensis, and 2.5 µg mL-1for Arrabidaea chicaand Virola sebifera. Twelve different extracts derived from four plant species collected from the Brazilian Cerrado were screened for antiviral activity against aMPV. G. brasiliensis, A. chica,and V. sebifera extracts presented inhibition rates of 99% in the early viral replication stages, suggesting that these extracts act during the adsorption phase. On the other hand, A. tomentosum inhibited 99% virus replication after the virus entered the cell. The biomonitored fractioning of extracts active against aMPV may be a tool to identify the active compounds of plant extracts and to determine their precise mode of action.

  18. Antiviral therapy of hepatitis C in 2014: do we need resistance testing?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schneider, Maximilian David; Sarrazin, Christoph

    2014-05-01

    The treatment of chronic hepatitis C has fundamentally changed since the approval of the first direct-acting antivirals (DAA) in 2011. In addition to telaprevir and boceprevir, in 2014 two new NS3 protease inhibitors (simeprevir and faldaprevir), one non-nucleoside polymerase inhibitor (sofosbuvir) and one NS5a replication complex inhibitor (daclatasvir) have expanded the treatment options for chronic hepatitis C. Resistance-associated variants (RAV) are naturally produced during the HCV life cycle. The frequency of RAVs within HCV quasispecies mainly depends on their replicational fitness. Variants conferring resistance to nucleos(t)ide analogues have not been detected, and the majority of NS3 protease-resistant variants are present at low frequencies (0.1-3%) before initiation of DAA-based therapies. However, the Q80K variant conferring resistance to simeprevir has been observed in 9-48% of untreated HCV genotype 1a-infected patients, leading to reduced SVR rates. Resistant variants are detectable in the majority of patients with treatment failure to NS3 protease inhibitor- or NS5a inhibitor-based antiviral therapy. Long-term follow-up studies by population-based sequence analysis have shown the disappearance of resistant variants in the majority of patients, with median times to loss of mutations of 4-64weeks. For the nucleotide analogue sofosbuvir, the emergence of the S282T resistant variant has been observed only in single patients, with reversion to wild-type within several weeks. Data are sparse on retreatment of patients with the same DAA or the same class of DAAs. However, retreatment with a different class of DAAs after failure of NS3 protease inhibitor-based therapy has been successful in small studies. This article forms part of a symposium in Antiviral Research on "Hepatitis C: next steps toward global eradication." Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Budesonide and formoterol reduce early innate anti-viral immune responses in vitro.

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    Janet M Davies

    Full Text Available Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airways disease in which respiratory viral infections frequently trigger exacerbations. Current treatment of asthma with combinations of inhaled corticosteroids and long acting beta2 agonists improves asthma control and reduces exacerbations but what impact this might have on innate anti-viral immunity is unclear. We investigated the in vitro effects of asthma drugs on innate anti-viral immunity. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC from healthy and asthmatic donors were cultured for 24 hours with the Toll-like receptor 7 agonist, imiquimod, or rhinovirus 16 (RV16 in the presence of budesonide and/or formoterol. Production of proinflammatory cytokines and expression of anti-viral intracellular signalling molecules were measured by ELISA and RT-PCR respectively. In PBMC from healthy donors, budesonide alone inhibited IP-10 and IL-6 production induced by imiquimod in a concentration-dependent manner and the degree of inhibition was amplified when budesonide and formoterol were used in combination. Formoterol alone had little effect on these parameters, except at high concentrations (10⁻⁶ M when IL-6 production increased. In RV16 stimulated PBMC, the combination of budesonide and formoterol inhibited IFNα and IP-10 production in asthmatic as well as healthy donors. Combination of budesonide and formoterol also inhibited RV16-stimulated expression of the type I IFN induced genes myxovirus protein A and 2', 5' oligoadenylate synthetise. Notably, RV16 stimulated lower levels of type Myxovirus A and oligoadenylate synthase in PBMC of asthmatics than control donors. These in vitro studies demonstrate that combinations of drugs commonly used in asthma therapy inhibit both early pro-inflammatory cytokines and key aspects of the type I IFN pathway. These findings suggest that budesonide and formoterol curtail excessive inflammation induced by rhinovirus infections in patients with asthma, but whether this inhibits

  20. Ganciclovir Antiviral Therapy in Advanced Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: An Open Pilot Study

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    J. J. Egan

    2011-01-01

    Conclusion. This audit outcome suggests that 2-week course of ganciclovir (iv may attenuate disease progression in a subgroup of advanced IPF patients. These observations do not suggest that anti-viral treatment is a substitute for the standard care, however, suggests the need to explore the efficacy of ganciclovir as adjunctive therapy in IPF.

  1. Anti-viral effects of medicinal plants in the management of dengue: a ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Anti-viral effects of medicinal plants in the management of dengue: a systematic review. Éric Heleno Freira Ferreira Frederico, André Luiz Bandeira Dionísio Cardoso, Eloá Moreira-Marconi, Danúbia da Cunha de Sá-Caputo, Carlos Alberto Sampaio Guimarães, Carla da Fontoura Dionello, Danielle Soares Morel, Laisa ...

  2. Invisible Display in Aluminum

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Prichystal, Jan Phuklin; Hansen, Hans Nørgaard; Bladt, Henrik Henriksen

    2005-01-01

    Bang & Olufsen a/s has been working with ideas for invisible integration of displays in metal surfaces. Invisible integration of information displays traditionally has been possible by placing displays behind transparent or semitransparent materials such as plastic or glass. The wish for an integ......Bang & Olufsen a/s has been working with ideas for invisible integration of displays in metal surfaces. Invisible integration of information displays traditionally has been possible by placing displays behind transparent or semitransparent materials such as plastic or glass. The wish...... for an integrated display in a metal surface is often ruled by design and functionality of a product. The integration of displays in metal surfaces requires metal removal in order to clear the area of the display to some extent. The idea behind an invisible display in Aluminum concerns the processing of a metal...

  3. Actinobacteria from Termite Mounds Show Antiviral Activity against Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus, a Surrogate Model for Hepatitis C Virus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina Aiello Padilla

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Extracts from termite-associated bacteria were evaluated for in vitro antiviral activity against bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV. Two bacterial strains were identified as active, with percentages of inhibition (IP equal to 98%. Both strains were subjected to functional analysis via the addition of virus and extract at different time points in cell culture; the results showed that they were effective as posttreatments. Moreover, we performed MTT colorimetric assays to identify the CC50, IC50, and SI values of these strains, and strain CDPA27 was considered the most promising. In parallel, the isolates were identified as Streptomyces through 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. Specifically, CDPA27 was identified as S. chartreusis. The CDPA27 extract was fractionated on a C18-E SPE cartridge, and the fractions were reevaluated. A 100% methanol fraction was identified to contain the compound(s responsible for antiviral activity, which had an SI of 262.41. GC-MS analysis showed that this activity was likely associated with the compound(s that had a peak retention time of 5 min. Taken together, the results of the present study provide new information for antiviral research using natural sources, demonstrate the antiviral potential of Streptomyces chartreusis compounds isolated from termite mounds against BVDV, and lay the foundation for further studies on the treatment of HCV infection.

  4. Which Plant Proteins Are Involved in Antiviral Defense? Review on In Vivo and In Vitro Activities of Selected Plant Proteins against Viruses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oskar Musidlak

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Plants have evolved a variety of defense mechanisms to tackle virus attack. Endogenous plant proteins can function as virus suppressors. Different types of proteins mediate defense responses against plant viruses. Pathogenesis-related (PR proteins are activated upon pathogen infections or in different stress situations and their production is one of many components in plant defense. Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs suppress translation by enzymatically damaging ribosomes and they have been found to have antiviral activity. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs bind to target RNAs via specialized RNA-binding domain and can directly or indirectly function in plant defense system against RNA viruses. Proteins involved in silencing machinery, namely Dicer-like (DCL proteins, Argonaute (AGO proteins, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RDRs confer innate antiviral defense in plants as they are able to degrade foreign RNA of viral origin. This review aims to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date picture of plant proteins participating in antiviral defense. As a result we discuss proteins conferring plant antiviral resistance and their potential future applications in different fields of life including agriculture and medicine.

  5. Antiviral therapy for prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma and mortality in chronic hepatitis B

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thiele, Maja; Gluud, Lise Lotte; Dahl, Emilie K

    2013-01-01

    The effect of antiviral therapy on clinical outcomes in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) is not established. We aimed to assess the effects of interferon and/or nucleos(t)ide analogues versus placebo or no intervention on prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and mortality in chronic HBV....

  6. Virus-encoded chemokine receptors--putative novel antiviral drug targets

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rosenkilde, Mette M

    2005-01-01

    Large DNA viruses, in particular herpes- and poxviruses, have evolved proteins that serve as mimics or decoys for endogenous proteins in the host. The chemokines and their receptors serve key functions in both innate and adaptive immunity through control of leukocyte trafficking, and have...... receptors belong to the superfamily of G-protein coupled 7TM receptors that per se are excellent drug targets. At present, non-peptide antagonists have been developed against many chemokine receptors. The potentials of the virus-encoded chemokine receptors as drug targets--ie. as novel antiviral strategies...

  7. Direct-acting antivirals for chronic hepatitis C

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jakobsen, Janus C; Nielsen, Emil Eik; Feinberg, Joshua

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Millions of people worldwide suffer from hepatitis C, which can lead to severe liver disease, liver cancer, and death. Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), e.g. sofosbuvir, are relatively new and expensive interventions for chronic hepatitis C, and preliminary results suggest that DAAs may...... eradicate hepatitis C virus (HCV) from the blood (sustained virological response). Sustained virological response (SVR) is used by investigators and regulatory agencies as a surrogate outcome for morbidity and mortality, based solely on observational evidence. However, there have been no randomised trials...... hepatitis C-related morbidity, serious adverse events, and health-related quality of life. Our secondary outcomes were all-cause mortality, ascites, variceal bleeding, hepato-renal syndrome, hepatic encephalopathy, hepatocellular carcinoma, non-serious adverse events (each reported separately), and SVR. We...

  8. In vitro antiviral activity of Brazilian plants (Maytenus ilicifolia and Aniba rosaeodora) against bovine herpesvirus type 5 and avian metapneumovirus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kohn, L K; Queiroga, C L; Martini, M C; Barata, L E; Porto, P S S; Souza, L; Arns, C W

    2012-10-01

    Medicinal plants are well known for their use in traditional folk medicine as treatments for many diseases including infectious diseases. Six Brazilian medicinal plant species were subjected to an antiviral screening bioassay to investigate and evaluate their biological activities against five viruses: bovine herpesvirus type 5 (BHV-5), avian metapneumovirus (aMPV), murine hepatitis virus type 3, porcine parvovirus and bovine respiratory syncytial virus. The antiviral activity was determined by a titration technique that depends on the ability of plant extract dilutions (25 or 2.5 µg/mL) to inhibit the viral induced cytopathic effect and the extracts' inhibition percentage (IP). Two medicinal plant species showed potential antiviral activity. The Aniba rosaeodora Ducke (Lauraceae) extract had the best results, with 90% inhibition of viral growth at 2.5 µg/mL when the extract was added during the replication period of the aMPV infection cycle. The Maytenus ilicifolia (Schrad.) Planch. (Celastraceae) extracts at a concentration of 2.5 µg/mL exhibited antiviral activity during the attachment phase of BHV-5 (IP = 100%). The biomonitored fractionation of the active extracts from M. ilicifolia and A. rosaeodora could be a potential tool for identifying their active compounds and determining the exact mechanism of action.

  9. The Spider Venom Peptide Lycosin-II Has Potent Antimicrobial Activity against Clinically Isolated Bacteria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yongjun Wang

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Antimicrobial peptides have been accepted as excellent candidates for developing novel antibiotics against drug-resistant bacteria. Recent studies indicate that spider venoms are the source for the identification of novel antimicrobial peptides. In the present study, we isolated and characterized an antibacterial peptide named lycosin-II from the venom of the spider Lycosa singoriensis. It contains 21 amino acid residue lacking cysteine residues and forms a typical linear amphipathic and cationic α-helical conformation. Lycosin-II displays potent bacteriostatic effect on the tested drug-resistant bacterial strains isolated from hospital patients, including multidrug-resistant A. baumannii, which has presented a huge challenge for the infection therapy. The inhibitory ability of lycosin-II might derive from its binding to cell membrane, because Mg2+ could compete with the binding sites to reduce the bacteriostatic potency of lycosin-II. Our data suggest that lycosin-II might be a lead in the development of novel antibiotics for curing drug-resistant bacterial infections.

  10. Antiviral and immunoregulatory role against PCV2 in vivo of Chinese herbal medicinal ingredients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yang Haifeng

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The aim of the research was to investigate the antiviral and immunoregulatory effects of saikosaponin A, saikosaponin D, Panax notoginseng saponins, notoginsenoside R1, and anemoside B4 saponins commonly found in Chinese herbal medicines.

  11. Upregulation of innate antiviral restricting factor expression in the cord blood and decidual tissue of HIV-infected mothers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pereira, Nátalli Zanete; Cardoso, Elaine Cristina; Oliveira, Luanda Mara da Silva; de Lima, Josenilson Feitosa; Branco, Anna Cláudia Calvielli Castelo; Ruocco, Rosa Maria de Souza Aveiro; Zugaib, Marcelo; de Oliveira Filho, João Bosco; Duarte, Alberto José da Silva; Sato, Maria Notomi

    2013-01-01

    Programs for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV have reduced the transmission rate of perinatal HIV infection and have thereby increased the number of HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) infants. Natural immunity to HIV-1 infection in both mothers and newborns needs to be further explored. In this study, we compared the expression of antiviral restricting factors in HIV-infected pregnant mothers treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART) in pregnancy (n=23) and in cord blood (CB) (n=16), placental tissues (n=10-13) and colostrum (n=5-6) samples and compared them to expression in samples from uninfected (UN) pregnant mothers (n=21). Mononuclear cells (MNCs) were prepared from maternal and CB samples following deliveries by cesarean section. Maternal (decidua) and fetal (chorionic villus) placental tissues were obtained, and colostrum was collected 24 h after delivery. The mRNA and protein expression levels of antiviral factors were then evaluated. We observed a significant increase in the mRNA expression levels of antiviral factors in MNCs from HIV-infected mothers and CB, including the apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme 3G (A3G), A3F, tripartite motif family-5α (TRIM-5α), TRIM-22, myxovirus resistance protein A (MxA), stimulator of interferon (IFN) genes (STING) and IFN-β, compared with the levels detected in uninfected (UN) mother-CB pairs. Moreover, A3G transcript and protein levels and α-defensin transcript levels were decreased in the decidua of HIV-infected mothers. Decreased TRIM-5α protein levels in the villi and increased STING mRNA expression in both placental tissues were also observed in HIV-infected mothers compared with uninfected (UN) mothers. Additionally, colostrum cells from infected mothers showed increased tetherin and IFN-β mRNA levels and CXCL9 protein levels. The data presented here indicate that antiviral restricting factor expression can be induced in utero in HIV-infected mothers. Future studies are warranted to determine

  12. Clinical Experience of Complex Application of Antiviral Therapy, Natural and Preformed Physical Factors in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N.V. Dragomiretska

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available The article deals with the results of complex application of antiviral therapy, low-mineralized hydrocarbonate-sulphate-chloride sodium mineral water, EHF- and vibroacoustic therapy of the patients with chronic viral hepatitis C. The developed complex liquidates adverse effects of the antiviral therapy (leukocytopenia, thrombocytopenia and flu-like syndromes, promotes the normalization of the functional tests of the liver and normalization of the majority of indicators of the immune status, stimulates the synthesis of the endogenous interferon α.

  13. Antiviral activity of a Bacillus sp: P34 peptide against pathogenic viruses of domestic animals

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    Débora Scopel e Silva

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available P34 is an antimicrobial peptide produced by a Bacillus sp. strain isolated from the intestinal contents of a fish in the Brazilian Amazon basin with reported antibacterial activity. The aim of this work was to evaluate the peptide P34 for its in vitro antiviral properties against canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV-2, canine coronavirus (CCoV, canine distemper virus (CDV, canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2, equine arteritis virus (EAV, equine influenza virus (EIV, feline calicivirus (FCV and feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1. The results showed that the peptide P34 exhibited antiviral activity against EAV and FHV-1. The peptide P34 inhibited the replication of EAV by 99.9% and FHV-1 by 94.4%. Virucidal activity was detected only against EAV. When P34 and EAV were incubated for 6 h at 37 °C the viral titer reduced from 10(4.5 TCID50 to 10(2.75 TCID50, showing a percent of inhibition of 98.6%. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that P34 inhibited EAV and FHV-1 replication in infected cell cultures and it showed virucidal activity against EAV. Since there is documented resistance to the current drugs used against herpesviruses and there is no treatment for equine viral arteritis, it is advisable to search for new antiviral compounds to overcome these infections.

  14. Synthesis and discovery of highly functionalized mono- and bis-spiro-pyrrolidines as potent cholinesterase enzyme inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kia, Yalda; Osman, Hasnah; Suresh Kumar, Raju; Basiri, Alireza; Murugaiyah, Vikneswaran

    2014-04-01

    Novel mono and bis spiropyrrolidine derivatives were synthesized via an efficient ionic liquid mediated, 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition methodology and evaluated in vitro for their AChE and BChE inhibitory activities in search for potent cholinesterase enzyme inhibitors. Most of the synthesized compounds displayed remarkable AChE inhibitory activities with IC50 values ranging from 1.68 to 21.85 μM, wherein compounds 8d and 8j were found to be most active inhibitors against AChE and BChE with IC50 values of 1.68 and 2.75 μM, respectively. Molecular modeling simulation on Torpedo californica AChE and human BChE receptors, showed good correlation between IC50 values and binding interaction template of the most active inhibitors docked into the active site of their relevant enzymes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Synthesis and antiviral activity of 4,6-disubstituted pyrimido[4,5-b]indole ribonucleosides

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Tichý, Michal; Pohl, Radek; Xu, H. Y.; Chen, Y. L.; Yokokawa, F.; Shi, P. Y.; Hocek, Michal

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 20, č. 20 (2012), s. 6123-6133 ISSN 0968-0896 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP207/11/0344 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : nucleosides * deazapurines * antivirals Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry Impact factor: 2.903, year: 2012

  16. Advanced Colorimetry of Display Systems: Tetra-Chroma3 Display Unit

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    J. Kaiser

    2005-06-01

    Full Text Available High-fidelity color image reproduction is one of the key issues invisual telecommunication systems, for electronic commerce,telemedicine, digital museum and so on. All colorimetric standards ofdisplay systems are up to the present day trichromatic. But, from theshape of a horseshoe-area of all existing colors in the CIE xychromaticity diagram it follows that with three real reproductivelights, the stated area in the CIE xy chromaticity diagram cannot beoverlaid. The expansion of the color gamut of a display device ispossible in a few ways. In this paper, the way of increasing the numberof primaries is studied. The fourth cyan primary is added to threeconventional ones to enlarge the color gamut of reproduction towardscyans and yellow-oranges. The original method of color management forthis new display unit is introduced. In addition, the color gamut ofthe designed additive-based display is successfully compared with thecolor gamut of a modern subtractive-based system. A display with morethan three primary colors is called a multiprimary color display. Thevery advantageous property of such display is the possibility todisplay metameric colors.

  17. Nobiletin: a citrus flavonoid displaying potent physiological activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noguchi, Shuji; Atsumi, Haruka; Iwao, Yasunori; Kan, Toshiyuki; Itai, Shigeru

    2016-02-01

    Nobiletin [systematic name: 2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-5,6,7,8-tetramethoxy-4H-chromen-4-one; C21H22O8] is a flavonoid found in citrus peels, and has been reported to show a wide range of physiological properties, including anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antidementia activities. We have solved the crystal structure of nobiletin, which revealed that the chromene and arene rings of its flavone moiety, as well as the two methoxy groups bound to its arene ring, were coplanar. In contrast, the C atoms of the four methoxy groups bound to the chromene ring are out of the plane, making the molecule conformationally chiral. A comparison of the crystal structures of nobiletin revealed that it could adopt a variety of different conformations through rotation of the covalent bond between the chromene and arene rings, and the orientations of methoxy groups bound to the chromene ring.

  18. Antiviral Action of Hydromethanolic Extract of Geopropolis from Scaptotrigona postica against Antiherpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coelho, Guilherme Rabelo; Mendonça, Ronaldo Zucatelli; Vilar, Karina de Senna; Figueiredo, Cristina Adelaide; Badari, Juliana Cuoco; Taniwaki, Noemi; Namiyama, Gisleine; de Oliveira, Maria Isabel; Curti, Suely Pires; Evelyn Silva, Patricia; Negri, Giuseppina

    2015-01-01

    The studies on chemical composition and biological activity of propolis had focused mainly on species Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae). There are few studies about the uncommon propolis collected by stingless bees of the Meliponini tribe known as geopropolis. The geopropolis from Scaptotrigona postica was collected in the region of Barra do Corda, Maranhão state, Brazil. The chemical analysis of hydromethanolic extract of this geopropolis (HMG) was carried out through HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS and the main constituents found were pyrrolizidine alkaloids and C-glycosyl flavones. The presence of alkaloids in extracts of propolis is detected for the first time in this sample. The antiviral activity of HMG was evaluated through viral DNA quantification experiments and electron microscopy experiments. Quantification of viral DNA from herpes virus showed reduction of about 98% in all conditions and concentration tested of the HMG extract. The results obtained were corroborated by transmission electron microscopy, in which the images did not show particle or viral replication complex. The antiviral activity of C-glycosyl flavones was reported for a variety of viruses, being observed at different points in the viral replication. This work is the first report about the antiviral activity of geopropolis from Scaptotrigona postica, in vitro, against antiherpes simplex virus (HSV).

  19. HIV-1 accessory proteins VPR and Vif modulate antiviral response by targeting IRF-3 for degradation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okumura, Atsushi; Alce, Tim; Lubyova, Barbora; Ezelle, Heather; Strebel, Klaus; Pitha, Paula M.

    2008-01-01

    The activation of IRF-3 during the early stages of viral infection is critical for the initiation of the antiviral response; however the activation of IRF-3 in HIV-1 infected cells has not yet been characterized. We demonstrate that the early steps of HIV-1 infection do not lead to the activation and nuclear translocation of IRF-3; instead, the relative levels of IRF-3 protein are decreased due to the ubiquitin-associated proteosome degradation. Addressing the molecular mechanism of this effect we show that the degradation is independent of HIV-1 replication and that virion-associated accessory proteins Vif and Vpr can independently degrade IRF-3. The null mutation of these two genes reduced the capacity of the HIV-1 virus to down modulate IRF-3 levels. The degradation was associated with Vif- and Vpr-mediated ubiquitination of IRF-3 and was independent of the activation of IRF-3. N-terminal lysine residues were shown to play a critical role in the Vif- and Vpr-mediated degradation of IRF-3. These data implicate Vif and Vpr in the disruption of the initial antiviral response and point to the need of HIV-1 to circumvent the antiviral response during the very early phase of replication

  20. Antiviral Action of Hydromethanolic Extract of Geopropolis from Scaptotrigona postica against Antiherpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guilherme Rabelo Coelho

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The studies on chemical composition and biological activity of propolis had focused mainly on species Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae. There are few studies about the uncommon propolis collected by stingless bees of the Meliponini tribe known as geopropolis. The geopropolis from Scaptotrigona postica was collected in the region of Barra do Corda, Maranhão state, Brazil. The chemical analysis of hydromethanolic extract of this geopropolis (HMG was carried out through HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS and the main constituents found were pyrrolizidine alkaloids and C-glycosyl flavones. The presence of alkaloids in extracts of propolis is detected for the first time in this sample. The antiviral activity of HMG was evaluated through viral DNA quantification experiments and electron microscopy experiments. Quantification of viral DNA from herpes virus showed reduction of about 98% in all conditions and concentration tested of the HMG extract. The results obtained were corroborated by transmission electron microscopy, in which the images did not show particle or viral replication complex. The antiviral activity of C-glycosyl flavones was reported for a variety of viruses, being observed at different points in the viral replication. This work is the first report about the antiviral activity of geopropolis from Scaptotrigona postica, in vitro, against antiherpes simplex virus (HSV.