title: Therapy of experimental influenza virus infection with pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate.
abstract: The search for new antiviral strategies to treat influenza A virus (IAV) infections is one major international health care activity. Hereby, the IAV-caused misuse of cellular nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways in infected cells represents one target for antiviral therapy. In the present study, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), which is known as an antioxidant and as an inhibitor of IAV-induced NF-κB activation, was studied in vivo. After the antiviral activity of PDTC was confirmed in MDCK cells, mice-infected with the mouse-adapted strain of IAV A/PR/8/34 (H1N1)-were treated intraperitoneally simultaneously with PDTC (75, 150, 200 mg/kg body weight). The influence of PDTC administrations was evaluated on viral replication and inflammatory reactions in lung tissue up to 14 days postinfection (p. i.). This therapy increased survival up to 80% and reduced IAV-caused weight loss and viral replication in lung tissue in a dose-dependent manner. Protective effects were less pronounced, if the therapy started later on during an ongoing IAV infection. In addition, simultaneous PDTC treatment also limited IAV-caused infiltration of immune cells as well as local interferon-γ expression in lung tissue. These results imply that PDTC decreases IAV-caused disease in mice significantly. Therefore, the development of drugs like PDTC that interfere with NF-κB signaling may represent a modern focus of anti-IAV therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology and Antiviral Therapy, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, Hans-Knöll-Str. 2, 07745, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wiesener
authors.forename: Christin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zimmer
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jarasch-Althof
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wutzler
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Henke
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology; D011759:Pyrrolidines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013859:Thiocarbamates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016328:NF-kappa B; D011759:Pyrrolidines; D013859:Thiocarbamates; C020972:pyrrolidine dithiocarbamic acid