title: Antiviral activity of antimicrobial cationic peptides against Junin virus and herpes simplex virus.
abstract: The in vitro antiviral activity of antimicrobial cationic peptides: cecropin A, melittin, magainin I and II and indolicidin against the arenavirus Junin virus (JV), and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and 2 (HSV-2) was evaluated. Cecropin A effectively inhibited JV multiplication and failed to affect HSV replication whereas melittin impeded the multiplication of JV and HSV, but was highly toxic for the host cell. Magainins I and II exhibited inhibitory action toward HSV-1 and HSV-2 but were inactive against JV. Only indolicidin showed a direct inactivation effect on cell-free virus stocks. Besides its inhibitory effect on JV replication cecropin A also was active against the arenaviruses Tacaribe and Pichinde, mainly affecting late events of arenavirus multiplication cycle by preventing viral morphogenesis and egress from infected cells.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Virología, Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón II, Piso 4, C1428BGA Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Vanesa C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Albiol Matanic
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Castilla
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D002460:Cell Line; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D006224:Cricetinae; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000187:drug effects*; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000187:drug effects*; D018051:Junin virus / Q000187:drug effects*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods; D014709:Vero Cells; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides