title: A new class of synthetic peptide inhibitors blocks attachment and entry of human pathogenic viruses.
abstract: Many enveloped viruses, including herpes viruses, hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), are among the most important human pathogens and are often responsible for coinfections involving ≥2 types of viruses. However, therapies that are effective against multiple virus classes are rare. Here we present a new class of synthetic anti-lipopolysaccharide peptides (SALPs) that bind to heparan sulfate moieties on the cell surface and inhibit infection with a variety of enveloped viruses. We demonstrate that SALPs inhibit entry of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), herpes simplex virus (HSV) 1 and 2, HBV, and HCV to their respective host cells. Despite their high antiviral efficiency, SALPs were well tolerated, and neither toxicity nor measurable inhibitor-induced adverse effects were observed. Since these broad-spectrum antiviral peptides target a host cell rather than a viral component, they may also be useful for suppression of viruses that are resistant to antiviral drugs.
authors.affiliation: Heinrich Pette Institute-Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology, Hamburg.
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krepstakies
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lucifora
authors.forename: Claus-Henning
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Nagel
authors.forename: Mirjam B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Zeisel
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Holstermann
authors.forename: Heinrich
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hohenberg
authors.forename: Ina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kowalski
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gutsmann
authors.forename: Thomas F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Baumert
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brandenburg
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hauber
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Protzer
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival; D006497:Heparan Sulfate / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000378:metabolism; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D011485:Protein Binding; D053585:Virus Attachment / Q000187:drug effects*; D053586:Virus Internalization / Q000187:drug effects*; D014780:Viruses / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006497:Heparan Sulfate; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010455:Peptides