Effect of dsRNA from π6 Bacteriophage on Herpetic Infection in Cell Culture and an Animal Model

Abstract

The double-stranded (ds) RNA from phi 6 bacteriophage inhibited herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2 infection in MA-104 cells but not in Vero cells. HSV-2 was more sensitive to this effect than HSV-1, with the HSV-2 ED50 being 0.25 micrograms/ml and the HSV-1 ED50 1.68 micrograms/ml. On genital infection by HSV-2 in guinea pigs, phi 6 dsRNA was more effective by intravaginal (P less than 0.05) than by intraperitoneal administration. A single dose of dsRNA of 600 micrograms/kg by intravaginal route modified favorably the natural course of the genital herpes in the treated animals (p less than 0.001). Compared with the infected controls, they showed a faster recovery with better healing of lesions; and the number and severity of recurrence was low. No mortality was observed and the control infected animals showed a mortality of 39%. Sera from dsRNA-treated animals showed antiviral activity with a 50% plaque-depressing dose (PDD50) of 10(1.5)/150 microliters; no antiviral activity was found in sera either from control infected or uninfected animals. No adverse effect was observed on the rate of growth of uninfected dsRNA-treated controls.

Inhibitory Effects of Bacteriophage Preparations on Adenoviral Replication

“…The proposed mode of antiviral action was based on the presence of the internal phage protein phagicin, which acted by interference with the synthesis of viral (but not cellular) DNA [3, 4]. Another line of research took into consideration the antiviral action of phages via their nucleic acids: purified dsRNA of Pseudomonas φ6 phage inhibited infection with herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2, while dsRNA from R17 E. coli bacteriophage showed activity against murine encephalomyocarditis virus and vesicular stomatitis virus [5, 6]. An inhibitory effect of ssDNA from E. coli M13 bacteriophage against duck hepatitis B virus and vaccinia virus was also observed [7, 8].…”

Bacteriophage inhibits murine norovirus replication after co-incubation in RAW 264.7 cells

“…The copyright holder for this preprint this version posted March 10, 2021. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.03.09.434703 doi: bioRxiv preprint dsRNA and ssDNA, revealing activity against herpes simplex virus, duck hepatitis B virus, and vaccinia virus (Feldmane, et al, 1977, Vales, et al, 1991, Iizuka, et al, 1994, Mori, et al, 1996. The third proposed model of interaction is based on the competition for beta3 integrins between the Lys-Gly-Asp (KGD) motif of Escherichia coli phage T4 and viruses utilizing integrins as a portal of entry (Dabrowska, et al, 2004).…”

“…For instance, the internal phage protein phagicin showed activity against vaccinia virus, by interfering with the synthesis of viral DNA (Meek and Takahashi, 1968). Another line of research took into consideration the antiviral action of phages via nucleic acids, both purified dsRNA and ssDNA, revealing activity against herpes simplex virus, duck hepatitis B virus, and vaccinia virus (Feldmane, et al, 1977, Vales, et al, 1991, Iizuka, et al, 1994, Mori, et al, 1996). The third proposed model of interaction is based on the competition for beta3 integrins between the Lys-Gly-Asp (KGD) motif of Escherichia coli phage T4 and viruses utilizing integrins as a portal of entry (Dabrowska, et al, 2004).…”