title: Inhibitory activities of microalgal extracts against Epstein-Barr virus DNA release from lymphoblastoid cells.
abstract: This study aimed to assess the inhibitory activities of methanol extracts from the microalgae Ankistrodesmus convolutus, Synechococcus elongatus, and Spirulina platensis against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in three Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) cell lines, namely Akata, B95-8, and P3HR-1. The antiviral activity was assessed by quantifying the cell-free EBV DNA using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. The methanol extracts from Ankistrodesmus convolutus and Synechococcus elongatus displayed low cytotoxicity and potent effect in reducing cell-free EBV DNA (EC(50)<0.01 µg/ml) with a high therapeutic index (>28000). After fractionation by column chromatography, the fraction from Synechococcus elongatus (SEF1) reduced the cell-free EBV DNA most effectively (EC(50)=2.9 µg/ml, therapeutic index>69). Upon further fractionation by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), the sub-fraction SEF1'a was most active in reducing the cell-free EBV DNA (EC(50)=1.38 µg/ml, therapeutic index>14.5). This study suggests that microalgae could be a potential source of antiviral compounds that can be used against EBV.
authors.affiliation: Division of Human Biology, International Medical University, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Yih-Yih
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Kok
authors.forename: Wan-Loy
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Siew-Moi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Phang
authors.forename: Shar Mariam
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Naidu
authors.forename: Pey-Jiun
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Shui-Nyuk
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Joon-Wah
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Mak
authors.forename: Patricia Kim-Chooi
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Balraj
authors.forename: Alan Soo-Beng
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Khoo
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000494:pharmacology; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002051:Burkitt Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D000460:Chlorophyta / Q000737:chemistry; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D017245:Foscarnet / Q000494:pharmacology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D054503:Lymphoid Progenitor Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000821:virology; D058086:Microalgae / Q000737:chemistry*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D053545:Spirulina / Q000737:chemistry; D046940:Synechococcus / Q000737:chemistry; D019562:Viral Load / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D017245:Foscarnet; D000212:Acyclovir