Licking latency with licorice.
Numerous viruses cause latent infections in humans, and reactivation often results in pain and suffering. While vaccines for several of these viruses are available or currently being studied in clinical trials, and antiviral therapies have been successful in preventing or treating active infection, therapy to eradicate latent infection has lagged behind. A new study reported in this issue of the JCI shows that treatment of cells latently infected with Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) with glycyrrhizic acid, a component of licorice, reduces synthesis of a viral latency protein and induces apoptosis of infected cells. This finding suggests a novel way to interrupt latency.
Cohen
Jeffrey I
JI
Medical Virology Section, Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA. jcohen@niaid.nih.gov
D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D006035:Glycyrrhiza / Q000737:chemistry*; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014775:Virus Activation; D017735:Virus Latency
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid