title: The main green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate counteracts semen-mediated enhancement of HIV infection.
abstract: Peptide fragments, derived from prostatic acidic phosphatase, are secreted in large amounts into human semen and form amyloid fibrils. These fibrillar structures, termed semen-derived enhancer of virus infection (SEVI), capture HIV virions and direct them to target cells. Thus, SEVI appears to be an important infectivity factor of HIV during sexual transmission. Here, we are able to demonstrate that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major active constituent of green tea, targets SEVI for degradation. Furthermore, it is shown that EGCG inhibits SEVI activity and abrogates semen-mediated enhancement of HIV-1 infection in the absence of cellular toxicity. Therefore, EGCG appears to be a promising supplement to antiretroviral microbicides to reduce sexual transmission of HIV-1.
authors.affiliation: Heinrich-Pette-Institute for Experimental Virology and Immunology, Martinistrasse 52, D-20251 Hamburg, Germany. ilona.hauber@hpi.unihamburg.de
authors.forename: Ilona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hauber
authors.forename: Heinrich
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hohenberg
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Holstermann
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hunstein
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hauber
mesh_terms: D000682:Amyloid / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D028241:Camellia sinensis / Q000737:chemistry; D002392:Catechin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D012661:Semen / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000682:Amyloid; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D002392:Catechin; C045651:epigallocatechin gallate; C526435:prostatic acid phosphatase (248-286), human; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases