title: Susceptibility in vitro of Epstein-Barr Virus to myristoylated-peptide.
abstract: The anti-Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) myristoylated-peptide (M.W. 916.2Da) is a natural product isolated from Heliothis virescens insect larval hemolymph (blood) that essentially has no cytotoxicity against human foreskin fibroblast cells. A (3 methyl only) version (M.W. 902.2 Da) of the structure was synthesized and tested for in vitro anti-EBV activity and cytotoxicity. The N-terminal end is lipophilic and used to get the compound across the cell membrane. The C-terminal end with its ring-shaped structures is likely used to inhibit DNA synthesis. The synthetic compound inhibited DNA synthesis/replication of EBV in Akata cells (B-lymphocyte from Burkitt's lymphoma patient) in in vitro tissue culture. A DNA hybridization assay for anti-EBV activity using the Akata B-cell and two cytotoxicity assays using human foreskin fibroblast cells were done with the synthetic peptide. Effective concentration (EC90) at 20 microM inhibited viral replication by 90%. The EBV, known as Human Herpesvirus-4 (HHV-4) of the Herpesviridae family, has been described as a cancer-promoting double-stranded DNA virus that may also be involved in autoimmune disease. There are no antiviral drugs in clinical use for diseases caused by the EBV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Building, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152-3560, USA. ddourth@memphis.edu
authors.forename: Donald D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Ourth
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D055666:Lipopeptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D055666:Lipopeptides; D010455:Peptides; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; C552031:myristoyl-cysteinyl-alanyl-valyl-alanyl-tyrosyl-(3-methyl)histidine methyl ester