In vitro antiviral activity of dermaseptins against herpes simplex virus type 1*

Abstract

The in vitro antiviral activity of dermaseptins (S1-S5) against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) was investigated. These peptides were incubated with the virus and its target cells under various conditions, and their effects were examined by the cytopathic effect inhibition assay or by reduction in virus yield in Hep-2 cell cultures as well as by direct immunofluorescence. Dermaseptin S4 displayed the strongest antiviral effect against HSV1, at micromolar doses. Experiments including acyclovir as a reference antiviral agent were performed to investigate the mode of action of this dermaseptin. In contrast to acyclovir, dermaseptin S4 showed its inhibitory effect only when applied to the virus before, or during virus adsorption to the target cells. This suggested that the activity of this dermaseptin was exerted at a very early stage of the viral multiplication cycle, most likely at the virus-cell interface.

Peptide Antimicrobial Agents

“…The spectra of viruses that are affected comprise primarily enveloped RNA and DNA viruses, with the exception of nonenveloped adenovirus (15,102), feline calicivirus (164), and echovirus 6 (199). The antiviral activity of antimicrobial peptides often appears to be related to the viral adsorption and entry process (16) or is a result of a direct effect on the viral envelope (1,208). However, it appears to be impossible to predict antiviral activity based primarily on secondary structures of peptides (Table 2).…”

“…For example ␣-helical peptides such as cecropins, clavanins, and the cathelicidin LL-37 have been shown to cause minimal or no herpes simplex virus (HSV) inactivation (18,185,269), while ␣-helical magainins ( Fig. 1), dermaseptin, and melittin have shown quite potent anti-HSV activity (Table 2) (1,3,16,269). Conversely, ␤-sheet peptides such as defensins, tachyplesin, and protegrins as well as the ␤-turn peptide lactoferricin have all shown high activity towards HSV (Table 2) (4,45,120,148,225,269,270).…”

“…In contrast, dermaseptin has no such direct effect on the HSV envelope. The anti-HSV activity of dermaseptin is proposed to result from blocking of viral entry by interaction with viral or cellular surface molecules involved in the attachment/adsorption/fusion phase of HSV (16). The antibacterial selectivity of dermaseptin depends in part on the lipid composition of the microbial membrane relative to that of the host cell (52).…”

Antimicrobial Peptides from Amphibian Skin Potently Inhibit Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection and Transfer of Virus from Dendritic Cells to T Cells

“…These net positively charged regions bind to the negatively charged head groups of bacterial membranes (35). Interestingly, A-AMPs possess activity against a variety of microbes, including bacteria (44), fungi (20,(46)(47)(48)(49), viruses (5,16,17,67), and malaria parasites (24).…”

In vitroanti-influenza activity of a protein-enriched fraction from larvae of the housefly (Musca domestica)

“…When the confluent monolayers were obtained, four different treatments were then applied according to modified protocols (Belaid et al, 2002) as follows.…”