title: Antiviral activity of ganciclovir and artesunate towards human cytomegalovirus in astrocytoma cells.
abstract: Antimalarial drug artesunate inhibits cytomegalovirus (HCMV) replication in human fibroblasts. Astrocytes, the major cell type of the brain, support cytomegalovirus (HCMV) replication. The aim of the study was to assess the antiviral activity of artesunate in astrocytoma cell line U373MG in comparison with ganciclovir. The antiviral concentration inhibiting by 50% (IC(50)) the synthesis of viral DNA was measured by real-time PCR in parallel in U373MG and MRC-5 cells. Reference HCMV strains susceptible and resistant to ganciclovir, and clinical isolates were tested. Ganciclovir and artesunate had similar activity in U373MG cells and MRC-5 fibroblasts. The artesunate IC(50)s in U373MG cells (1.5-2.25 μM) were at least 36-fold lower than the 50% cytotoxicity concentrations. Then, the anti-HCMV activity of artesunate was demonstrated in a cancer cell line.
authors.affiliation: AP-HP, Hôpital Lariboisière, Service de Bactériologie-Virologie, Laboratoire Associé au Centre National de Référence du cytomégalovirus, 2 rue Ambroise Paré, 75475 Paris Cedex 10, France.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schnepf
authors.forename: Jessie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Corvo
authors.forename: Marie-José Sanson-Le
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Pors
authors.forename: Marie-Christine
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Mazeron
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077332:Artesunate; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000821:virology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000187:drug effects*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000821:virology; D015774:Ganciclovir / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D037621:Artemisinins; D000077332:Artesunate; D015774:Ganciclovir