title: A wide range of medium-sized, highly cationic, alpha-helical peptides show antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus.
abstract: Ten highly cationic, alpha-helical peptides were synthesized and tested for antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2). Several of the peptides were found to exhibit antiviral activity. The peptides affinity for heparan sulfate (HS) increased with the number of cationic residues. Net charge could be decisive for the anti-HSV-1 activity, while secondary structure of the peptides seems more important for the anti-HSV-2 activity. The peptides were able to inhibit the entry of HSV-1 into the host cell, probably by blocking HS at the cell surface. HSV plaque formation was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner when cells were exposed to the peptides prior to the addition of virus. Lower inhibition activity was observed when the virus was allowed to attach to the cell surface before the addition of peptide. However, the plaque size was smaller compared to the untreated control, indicating that the peptides may also interfere with cell-to-cell spread of the virus. The two most potent antiviral peptides exhibited synergy with acyclovir against HSV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital of North Norway, N-9038 Tromsø, Norway. havard.jenssen@umn.no
authors.forename: Håvard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jenssen
authors.forename: Jeanette H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mantzilas
authors.forename: Tore J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Gutteberg
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D010455:Peptides