title: Antiviral activity of recombinant cyanovirin-N against HSV-1.
abstract: In this study, a standard strain of HSV-1 (strain SM(44)) was used to investigate the antiviral activity of the recombinant Cyanovirin-N (CV-N) against Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in vitro and in vivo. Cytopathic effect (CPE) and MTT assays were used to evaluate the effect of CV-N on HSV-1 in Vero cells. The number of copies of HSV-DNA was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (FQ-PCR). The results showed that CV-N had a low cytotoxicity on Vero cells with a CC(50) of 359.03 ± 0.56 μg/mL, and that it could not directly inactivate HSV-1 infectivity. CV-N not only reduced the CPE of HSV-1 when added before or after viral infection, with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) with 2.26 and 30.16 μg/mL respectively, but it also decreased the copies of HSV-1 DNA in infected host cells. The encephalitis model for HSV-1 infection was conducted in Kunming mice, and treated with three dosages of CV-N (0.5, 5 & 10 mg/kg) which was administered intraperitoneally at 2h, 3d, 5d, 7d post infection. The duration for the appearance of symptoms of encephalitis and the survival days were recorded and brain tissue samples were obtained for pathological examination (HE staining). Compared with the untreated control group, in the 5mg/kg CV-N and 10mg/kg CV-N treated groups, the mice suffered light symptoms and the number of survival days were more than 9 d and 14 d respectively. HE staining also showed that in 5mg/kg CV-N and 10mg/kg CV-N treated groups, the brain cells did not show visible changes, except for a slight inflammation. Our results demonstrated that CV-N has pronounced antiviral activity against HSV-1 both in vitro and in vivo, and it would be a promising new candidate for anti-HSV therapeutics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China. yuhong0532@126.com
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Zong-tao
authors.initials: ZT
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Wen-qing
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D001688:Biological Products / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D002470:Cell Survival; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018792:Encephalitis, Viral / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000188:drug therapy; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts / Q000378:metabolism; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000378:metabolism; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001688:Biological Products; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004279:DNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; C107733:cyanovirin N; C022616:thiazolyl blue