title: A novel peptide with potent and broad-spectrum antiviral activities against multiple respiratory viruses.
abstract: A safe, potent and broad-spectrum antiviral is urgently needed to combat emerging respiratory viruses. In light of the broad antiviral activity of β-defensins, we tested the antiviral activity of 11 peptides derived from mouse β-defensin-4 and found that a short peptide, P9, exhibited potent and broad-spectrum antiviral effects against multiple respiratory viruses in vitro and in vivo, including influenza A virus H1N1, H3N2, H5N1, H7N7, H7N9, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. The antiviral activity of P9 was attributed to its high-affinity binding to viral glycoproteins, as well as the abundance of basic amino acids in its composition. After binding viral particles through viral surface glycoproteins, P9 entered into cells together with the viruses via endocytosis and prevented endosomal acidification, which blocked membrane fusion and subsequent viral RNA release. This study has paved the avenue for developing new prophylactic and therapeutic agents with broad-spectrum antiviral activities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Hanjun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Hin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Dabin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Vincent Kwok-Man
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Poon
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Chris Chung-Sing
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Ho-Chuen
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Ng
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fai
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Yong-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Anna Jin-Xia
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Dong-Yan
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Kwok-Yung
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Yuen
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Bo-Jian
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011992:Endosomes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D051379:Mice; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D065207:Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus / Q000187:drug effects; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011485:Protein Binding; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000187:drug effects; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019562:Viral Load; D023083:beta-Defensins / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; C513975:Defb4 protein, mouse; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010455:Peptides; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D023083:beta-Defensins