title: Conditional potency is a hallmark of viral protein-derived toxic peptides.
abstract: Viral infections are major ongoing challenges to mankind. The theory of cytokine storm cannot fully account for the virulence of some highly infectious viruses with high mortality rates. Although numerous viruses are capable of lysing animal and human cells in vivo, viral protein-derived peptides are mostly mild in standard culture conditions in in vitro assays. A hypothesis is postulated that conditional potency of viral protein-derived toxic peptides could at least in part explain cell senescence upon viral infections. The hypothesis can be tested with full length viral proteins against microbial and mammalian cells in various media. Viral protein injections to live animals may reveal that they are critical factors underlying cell destructions when protein degradation pathways and cytokine levels are controlled. Stimulation of autophagy could enhance current viral therapies by recycling toxic viral proteins.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, MOE Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Safety, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
authors.forename: Man
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoxia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, MOE Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Safety, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
authors.forename: Qizhang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, MOE Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Safety, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
authors.forename: Yanchao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, MOE Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Safety, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, MOE Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Safety, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
authors.forename: Jiayang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Zi-Wei
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, MOE Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Safety, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
authors.forename: Shaoping
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, MOE Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Safety, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China. Electronic address: lsslqy@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Qiuyun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, MOE Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Safety, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China. Electronic address: lsshjg@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jianguo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, MOE Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Safety, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China. Electronic address: lsshezm@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zhumei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001343:Autophagy; D002460:Cell Line; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype; D064766:Influenza A Virus, H7N9 Subtype; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D014774:Virulence; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D010455:Peptides; D014764:Viral Proteins
keywords: Blood circulation; Conditional potency; Viral protein-derived toxic peptides