title: A RhoA-derived peptide inhibits syncytium formation induced by respiratory syncytial virus and parainfluenza virus type 3.
abstract: The fusion glycoproteins of human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human parainfluenza virus type-3 (PIV-3) mediate virus entry and syncytium formation. Interaction between the fusion protein of RSV and RhoA, a small GTPase, facilitates virus-induced syncytium formation. We show here a RhoA-derived peptide inhibits RSV and syncytium formation induced by RSV and PIV-3, both in vitro by inhibition of cell-to-cell fusion and in vivo by reduction of peak titer by 2 log10 in RSV-infected mice. These findings indicate that the interaction between these two paramyxovirus fusion proteins and RhoA is an important target for new antiviral strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Pastey
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Gower
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Spearman
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Crowe
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Graham
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002459:Cell Fusion; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015726:Giant Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010224:Parainfluenza Virus 3, Human / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018113:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000502:physiology; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein