title: Anti-dengue virus serotype 2 activity and mode of action of a novel peptide.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify a novel antiviral peptide against dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2) by screening a phage display peptide library and to evaluate its in vitro antiviral activity and mode of action.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A phage display peptide library was biopanned against purified DENV-2 and resulted in the identification and selection of a peptide (peptide gg-ww) for further investigation. ELISA was performed, and peptide gg-ww was shown to possess the highest binding affinity against DENV-2. Thus, peptide gg-ww was synthesized for cytotoxicity and antiviral assays. Virus plaque reduction assay, real-time PCR and immunofluorescence assay were used to investigate the inhibitory effect of peptide gg-ww on DENV-2 infection in Vero cells. Three different assays (pre-, simultaneous and post-treatments assays) were performed to investigate the peptide's mode of action. Results indicated that peptide gg-ww possessed strong antiviral activity with a ~96% inhibition rate, which was achieved at 250 μmol l(-1) . Viral replication was inhibited during a simultaneous treatment assay, indicating that the entry of the virus was impeded by this peptide.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Peptide gg-ww displayed antiviral action against DENV-2 by targeting an early stage of viral replication (i.e. during viral entry).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Peptide gg-ww may represent a new therapeutic candidate for the treatment of DENV infections and is a potential candidate to be developed as a peptide drug.
authors.affiliation: Virus-Host Interaction Group, Infectious Disease Laboratory (MR3), Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: M-F
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8499-2152
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Chew
authors.affiliation: Virus-Host Interaction Group, Infectious Disease Laboratory (MR3), Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: H-W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Tham
authors.affiliation: Synamatix Sdn. Bhd., Chemistry Lab 4, Enterprise 2, Technology Park Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rajik
authors.affiliation: Virus-Host Interaction Group, Infectious Disease Laboratory (MR3), Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Sharifah
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003715:Dengue / Q000821:virology*; D003716:Dengue Virus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D065288:Serogroup; D014709:Vero Cells; D010948:Viral Plaque Assay; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D010455:Peptides
keywords: antiviral; dengue virus; drug; peptide; phage