title: Virocidal activity of Egyptian scorpion venoms against hepatitis C virus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major global health problem, causing chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Development of well-tolerated regimens with high cure rates and fewer side effects is still much needed. Recently, natural antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are attracting more attention as biological compounds and can be a good template to develop therapeutic agents, including antiviral agents against a variety of viruses. Various AMPs have been characterized from the venom of different venomous animals including scorpions.
  
  
  METHODS
  The possible antiviral activities of crude venoms obtained from five Egyptian scorpion species (Leiurus quinquestriatus, Androctonus amoreuxi, A. australis, A. bicolor and Scorpio maurus palmatus) were evaluated by a cell culture method using Huh7.5 cells and the J6/JFH1-P47 strain of HCV. Time-of-addition experiments and inactivation of enzymatic activities of the venoms were carried out to determine the characteristics of the anti-HCV activities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  S. maurus palmatus and A. australis venoms showed anti-HCV activities, with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC₅₀) being 6.3 ± 1.6 and 88.3 ± 5.8 μg/ml, respectively. S. maurus palmatus venom (30 μg/ml) impaired HCV infectivity in culture medium, but not inside the cells, through virocidal effect. The anti-HCV activity of this venom was not inhibited by a metalloprotease inhibitor or heating at 60°C. The antiviral activity was directed preferentially against HCV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  S. maurus palmatus venom is considered as a good natural source for characterization and development of novel anti-HCV agents targeting the entry step. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing antiviral activities of Egyptian scorpion venoms against HCV, and may open a new approach towards discovering antiviral compounds derived from scorpion venoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt. sci.elbitar@gmail.com.|Division of Microbiology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0017, , Hyogo, Japan. sci.elbitar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Alaa M H
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: El-Bitar
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt. moustafar@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Moustafa M H
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Sarhan
authors.affiliation: Division of Microbiology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0017, , Hyogo, Japan. nu_chie@msn.com.
authors.forename: Chie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.affiliation: Division of Microbiology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0017, , Hyogo, Japan. a4tkhr@med.kobe-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takahara
authors.affiliation: Division of Microbiology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0017, , Hyogo, Japan. mk729@med.kobe-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Komoto
authors.affiliation: Division of Microbiology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0017, , Hyogo, Japan. denglm@med.kobe-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt. mam_gene@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mohsen A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Moustafa
authors.affiliation: Division of Microbiology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0017, , Hyogo, Japan. hotta@kobe-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hak
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hotta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D012604:Scorpion Venoms / Q000633:toxicity*; D012605:Scorpions / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012604:Scorpion Venoms