title: Complexes of zinc with picolinic and aspartic acids inactivate free varicella-zoster virions.
abstract: Zn(II) picolinate and aspartate, Zn(pic)(2) and Zn(asp)(2), have been shown to inhibit key steps of the replication of HSV-1. In the present study we describe the effect of Zn(pic)(2) and Zn(asp)(2) on the replication of VZV and on the infectivity of free virions. The experiments are done using BHK-21 cells, a clinical isolate of VZV and Zn-complexes in concentration of 10 muM. When Zn-complexes are present during the whole period of infection, the yield of infectious virus progeny decreases up to 98%. The infectivity of VZV is completely restored after the removal of zinc. The virucidal effect is manifested at the 2nd h of contact, when 90% of the virions are inactivated. The results show that both Zn(pic)(2) and Zn(asp)(2) specifically inactivate free VZV virions with no effect on viral replication.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology Faculty of Biology University of Sofia 8 Dragan Tzankov Blvd. Sofia 1421 Bulgaria.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shishkov
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Varadinova
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bontchev
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nachev
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Michailova