title: The green tea catechin, epigallocatechin gallate inhibits chikungunya virus infection.
abstract: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-transmitted alphavirus that causes chikungunya fever and has infected millions of people mainly in developing countries. The associated disease is characterized by rash, high fever and severe arthritis that can persist for years. CHIKV has adapted to Aedes albopictus, which also inhabits temperate regions, including Europe and the United States of America and might cause new, large outbreaks there. No treatment or licensed CHIKV vaccine exists. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major component of green tea, has, among other beneficial properties, antiviral activities. Therefore, we examined if EGCG has antiviral activity against CHIKV. EGCG inhibited CHIKV infection in vitro, blocked entry of CHIKV Env-pseudotyped lentiviral vectors and inhibited CHIKV attachment to target cells. Thus EGCG might be used as a lead structure to develop more effective antiviral drugs.
authors.affiliation: Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich Strasse 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany. Electronic address: Christopher.Weber@pei.de.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.affiliation: Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich Strasse 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany. Electronic address: Katja.Sliva@pei.de.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sliva
authors.affiliation: Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich Strasse 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany. Electronic address: Christine.vonRhein@pei.de.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: von Rhein
authors.affiliation: Institute of Virology, University of Bonn Medical Centre, Bonn, Germany. Electronic address: kuemmerer@virology-bonn.de.
authors.forename: Beate M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Kümmerer
authors.affiliation: Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich Strasse 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany. Electronic address: Barbara.Schnierle@pei.de.
authors.forename: Barbara S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Schnierle
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002392:Catechin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002646:Chikungunya virus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D013662:Tea / Q000737:chemistry*; D053585:Virus Attachment / Q000187:drug effects; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D013662:Tea; D002392:Catechin; C045651:epigallocatechin gallate
keywords: Chikungunya virus; EGCG; Green tea