Inhibition of human T cell leukemia virus by the plant flavonoid baicalin (7-glucuronic acid, 5,6-dihydroxyflavone).
The ability of baicalin (7-glucuronic acid, 5,6-dihydroxyflavone), a flavonoid compound purified from the Chinese medicinal herb, Scutellaria baicalensis georgi, to inhibit human T cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) was examined. Baicalin produced concentration-dependent inhibition of HTLV-I replication in productively infected T and B cells. Moreover, baicalin treatment selectively reduced the detectable levels of HTLV-I p19 gag protein in infected cells by greater than 70% at concentrations that produced insignificant effects on total cellular protein and DNA synthesis with no loss in cell viability. Resistance to HTLV-I infection and virus-mediated transformation was noted in uninfected peripheral blood lymphocytes pretreated with baicalin before cocultivation with lethally irradiated chronically infected cells. Baicalin inhibited reverse transcriptase activity in HTLV-I-infected cells as well as the activity of purified reverse transcriptase from Moloney murine leukemia virus and Rous-associated virus type 2. These results suggest that baicalin may be a potential therapeutic agent against HTLV-I-associated T cell diseases.
Biological Carcinogenesis and Development Program, National Cancer Institute-Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center, Maryland.
N W
NW
Baylor
T
T
Fu
Y D
YD
Yan
F W
FW
Ruscetti
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000382:microbiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral / Q000187:drug effects; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D015486:HTLV-I Antigens / Q000187:drug effects; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D015682:Retroviridae Proteins, Oncogenic / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000382:microbiology*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005419:Flavonoids; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D015486:HTLV-I Antigens; D015682:Retroviridae Proteins, Oncogenic; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; C060955:p19 protein, Human T-lymphotropic virus 1; C038044:baicalin