title: An algal-derived DL-galactan hybrid is an efficient preventing agent for in vitro dengue virus infection.
abstract: The DL-galactan hybrid C2S-3, isolated from the red seaweed Cryptonemia crenulata (Halymeniaceae, Halymeniales), is a potent and selective inhibitor of the multiplication of diverse strains of DENV-2 in Vero cells with higher effectiveness than the reference polysaccharide heparin. The presence of the compound either only at virus adsorption or at virus internalization exerted a significant and dose-dependent inhibition in DENV-2 plaque number. The compound failed to inactivate DENV-2 directly by incubation of virus before cell infection as well as to induce a refractory state by cell pretreatment. Thus, the inhibitory effect was exclusively exerted through a blockade in virus multiplication during the infectious process. When the entry of DENV-2 particles into the cell is bypassed, as occurs in virus RNA transfection, the polysaccharide C2S-3 failed to block the completion of the multiplication cycle. Furthermore, the antiviral properties of C2S-3 are not correlated with anticoagulant activity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Virología, Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Laura B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Talarico
authors.forename: María E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: Rosiane G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Zibetti
authors.forename: Miguel D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Noseda
authors.forename: Elsa B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Damonte
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003716:Dengue Virus / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000737:chemistry*; D005685:Galactans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D005685:Galactans