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Objective: Interleukin 18 (IL-18) production represents a critical step in the polarization of the Th1 immune response. Human herpes virus type 6 (HHV-6) possesses a peculiar tropism for immunocompetent cells. To understand the relationships among immunocompetent cells, HHV-6 and cytokines, the role of IL-18 during infection of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) with HHV-6 was evaluated. Methods: PBMC were obtained from healthy HHV-6-seronegative donors, after centrifugation of heparinized venous blood over a Ficoll-Hypaque gradient. Supernatants from PBMC were analyzed for the presence of cytokines. To study the effects of exogenous recombinant human (rh) IL-18 on HHV-6 replication, the number of cells expressing viral antigens and the amount of extracellular virus were analysed. Results: No basal production of IL-18 was found in supernatants of unstimulated PBMC. Appreciable amounts of the cytokine were produced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated PBMC. HHV-6 infection of LPS-treated PBMC downregulated IL-18 production. It was found that the addition of rhIL-18 to HHV-6-infected PBMC downregulated the percentage of antigen-positive cells and the release of extracellular virus. Conclusion: Impairment of IL-18 release, which is involved in the induction of antiviral cytokines, such as interferon-γ, could represent a strategy of the virus to evade the immune response of the host.

In preliminary experiments, the compound 2-amino-5-(2-sulfamoylphenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazole (G413) was shown to possess high activity against DNA viruses (herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 and adenovirus 17) and RNA viruses (poliovirus 1, echovirus 2, and coxsackievirus B4). Experiments on the replicative cycle of poliovirus 1 and production of infectious RNA viruses demonstrate that this compound probably prevents assembly of virus particles by acting on structural proteins. In the present experiments, results concerning the activity of derivatives of G413 after side-chain modification are reported. Modification of the primary amine H to CH3 or CH2-CH = CH2 produced a loss of activity against DNA viruses, but inhibitory action on RNA viruses was preserved. Modification to CH2CH3 resulted in the loss of antiviral activity.