UV,five wavelengths fusion and electrochemical fingerprints combined with antioxidant activity for quality control of antiviral mixture

Aiming to ensure the consistency of quality control of Traditional Chinese Medicines(TCMs),a combination method of high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC),ultraviolet(UV),electrochemical(EC)was developed in this study to comprehensively evaluate the quality of Antiviral Mixture(AM),and Comprehensive Linear Quantification Fingerprint Method(CLQFM)was used to process the data.Quantitative analysis of three active substances in TCM was conducted.A fivewavelength fusion fingerprint(FWFF)was developed,using second-order derivatives of UV spectral data to differentiate sample levels effectively.The combination of HPLC and UV spectrophotometry,along with electrochemical fingerprinting(ECFP),successfully evaluated total active substances.Ultimately,a multidimensional profiling analytical system for TCM was developed.

Antiviral therapy for hepatitis B virus infection is beneficial for the prognosis hepatocellular carcinoma

In this editorial,we comment on the article by Mu et al,published in the recent issue of the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology.We pay special attention to the immune tolerance mechanism caused by hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection,the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),and the role of antiviral therapy in treating HCC related to HBV infection.HBV infection leads to systemic innate immune tolerance by directly inhibiting pattern recognition receptor recognition and antiviral signaling pathways,as well as by inhibiting the immune functions of macrophages,natural killer cells and dendritic cells.In addition,HBV leads to an immunosuppressive cascade by expressing inhibitory molecules to induce exhaustion of HBV-specific cluster of differentiation 8+T cells,ultimately leading to long-term viral infection.The loss of immune cell function caused by HBV infection ultimately leads to HCC.Long-term antiviral therapy can improve the prognosis of patients with HCC and prevent tumor recurrence and metastasis.

Glutamatergic CYLD deletion leads to aberrant excitatory activity in the basolateral amygdala:association with enhanced cued fear expression

Neuronal activity,synaptic transmission,and molecular changes in the basolateral amygdala play critical roles in fear memory.Cylindromatosis(CYLD)is a deubiquitinase that negatively regulates the nuclear factor kappa-B pathway.CYLD is well studied in non-neuronal cells,yet underinvestigated in the brain,where it is highly expressed.Emerging studies have shown involvement of CYLD in the remodeling of glutamatergic synapses,neuroinflammation,fear memory,and anxiety-and autism-like behaviors.However,the precise role of CYLD in glutamatergic neurons is largely unknown.Here,we first proposed involvement of CYLD in cued fear expression.We next constructed transgenic model mice with specific deletion of Cyld from glutamatergic neurons.Our results show that glutamatergic CYLD deficiency exaggerated the expression of cued fear in only male mice.Further,loss of CYLD in glutamatergic neurons resulted in enhanced neuronal activation,impaired excitatory synaptic transmission,and altered levels of glutamate receptors accompanied by over-activation of microglia in the basolateral amygdala of male mice.Altogether,our study suggests a critical role of glutamatergic CYLD in maintaining normal neuronal,synaptic,and microglial activation.This may contribute,at least in part,to cued fear expression.

Deciphering Water Oxidation Catalysts:The Dominant Role of Surface Chemistry over Reconstruction Degree in Activity Promotion

Water splitting hinges crucially on the availability of electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction.The surface reconstruction has been widely observed in perovskite catalysts,and the reconstruction degree has been often correlated with the activity enhancement.Here,a systematic study on the roles of Fe substitution in activation of perovskite LaNiO_(3)is reported.The substituting Fe content influences both current change tendency and surface reconstruction degree.LaNi_(0.9)Fe_(0.1)O_(3)is found exhibiting a volcano-peak intrinsic activity in both pristine and reconstructed among all substituted perovskites in the LaNi_(1-x)Fe_(x)O_(3)(x=0.00,0.10,0.25,0.50,0.75,1.00)series.The reconstructed LaNi_(0.9)Fe_(0.1)O_(3)shows a higher intrinsic activity than most reported NiFe-based catalysts.Besides,density functional theory calculations reveal that Fe substitution can lower the O 2p level,which thus stabilize lattice oxygen in LaNi0.9Fe0.1O3 and ensure its long-term stability.Furthermore,it is vital interesting that activity of the reconstructed catalysts relied more on the surface chemistry rather than the reconstruction degree.The effect of Fe on the degree of surface reconstruction of the perovskite is decoupled from that on its activity enhancement after surface reconstruction.This finding showcases the importance to customize the surface chemistry of reconstructed catalysts for water oxidation.

Acute Inflammatory Pain Induces Sex-different Brain Alpha Activity in Anesthetized Rats Through Optically Pumped Magnetometer Magnetoencephalography

Objective Magnetoencephalography(MEG),a non-invasive neuroimaging technique,meticulously captures the magnetic fields emanating from brain electrical activity.Compared with MEG based on superconducting quantum interference devices(SQUID),MEG based on optically pump magnetometer(OPM)has the advantages of higher sensitivity,better spatial resolution and lower cost.However,most of the current studies are clinical studies,and there is a lack of animal studies on MEG based on OPM technology.Pain,a multifaceted sensory and emotional phenomenon,induces intricate alterations in brain activity,exhibiting notable sex differences.Despite clinical revelations of pain-related neuronal activity through MEG,specific properties remain elusive,and comprehensive laboratory studies on pain-associated brain activity alterations are lacking.The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of inflammatory pain(induced by Complete Freund’s Adjuvant(CFA))on brain activity in a rat model using the MEG technique,to analysis changes in brain activity during pain perception,and to explore sex differences in pain-related MEG signaling.Methods This study utilized adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats.Inflammatory pain was induced via intraplantar injection of CFA(100μl,50%in saline)in the left hind paw,with control groups receiving saline.Pain behavior was assessed using von Frey filaments at baseline and 1 h post-injection.For MEG recording,anesthetized rats had an OPM positioned on their head within a magnetic shield,undergoing two 15-minute sessions:a 5-minute baseline followed by a 10-minute mechanical stimulation phase.Data analysis included artifact removal and time-frequency analysis of spontaneous brain activity using accumulated spectrograms,generating spectrograms focused on the 4-30 Hz frequency range.Results MEG recordings in anesthetized rats during resting states and hind paw mechanical stimulation were compared,before and after saline/CFA injections.Mechanical stimulation elevated alpha activity in both male and female rats pre-and post-saline/CFA injections.Saline/CFA injections augmented average power in both sexes compared to pre-injection states.Remarkably,female rats exhibited higher average spectral power 1 h after CFA injection than after saline injection during resting states.Furthermore,despite comparable pain thresholds measured by classical pain behavioral tests post-CFA treatment,female rats displayed higher average power than males in the resting state after CFA injection.Conclusion These results imply an enhanced perception of inflammatory pain in female rats compared to their male counterparts.Our study exhibits sex differences in alpha activities following CFA injection,highlighting heightened brain alpha activity in female rats during acute inflammatory pain in the resting state.Our study provides a method for OPM-based MEG recordings to be used to study brain activity in anaesthetized animals.In addition,the findings of this study contribute to a deeper understanding of pain-related neural activity and pain sex differences.

Copper complexes of anthrahydrazone bearing pyridyl side chain:Synthesis,crystal structure,anticancer activity,and DNA binding

To expand the study on the structures and biological activities of the anthracyclines anticancer drugs and reduce their toxic side effects,the new anthraquinone derivatives,9‑pyridylanthrahydrazone(9‑PAH)and 9,10‑bispyridylanthrahydrazone(9,10‑PAH)were designed and synthesized.Utilizing 9‑PAH and 9,10‑PAH as promising anticancer ligands,their respective copper complexes,namely[Cu(L1)Cl_(2)]Cl(1)and{[Cu_(4)(μ_(2)‑Cl)_(3)Cl_(4)(9,10‑PAH)_(2)(DMSO)_(2)]Cl_(2)}_(n)(2),were subsequently synthesized,where the new ligand L1 is formed by coupling two 9‑PAH ligands in the coordination reaction.The chemical and crystal structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated by IR,MS,elemental analysis,and single‑crystal X‑ray diffraction.Complex 1 forms a mononuclear structure.L1 coordinates with Cu through its three N atoms,together with two Cl atoms,to form a five‑coordinated square pyramidal geometry.Complex 2 constitutes a polymeric structure,wherein each structural unit centrosymmetrically encompasses two five‑coordinated binuclear copper complexes(Cu1,Cu2)of 9,10‑PAH,with similar square pyramidal geometry.A chlorine atom(Cl_(2)),located at the symmetry center,bridges Cu1 and Cu1A to connect the two binuclear copper structures.Meanwhile,the two five‑coordinated Cu2 atoms symmetrically bridge the adjacent structural units via one coordinated Cl atom,respectively,thus forming a 1D chain‑like polymeric structure.In vitro anticancer activity assessments revealed that 1 and 2 showed significant cytotoxicity even higher than cisplatin.Specifically,the IC_(50)values of 2 against HeLa‑229 and SK‑OV‑3 cancer cell lines were determined to be(5.92±0.32)μmol·L^(-1)and(6.48±0.39)μmol·L^(-1),respectively.2 could also block the proliferation of HeLa‑229 cells in S phase and significantly induce cell apoptosis.In addition,fluorescence quenching competition experiments suggested that 2 might interact with DNA by an intercalative binding mode,offering insights into its underlying anticancer mechanism.CCDC:2388918,1;2388919,2.

Clinical features of abnormalα-fetoprotein in 15 patients with chronic viral hepatitis B after treatment with antiviral drugs

BACKGROUND Liver function of chronic hepatitis B(CHB)patients is essentially normal after treatment with antiviral drugs.In rare cases,persistently abnormally elevatedα-fetoprotein(AFP)is seen in CHB patients following long-term antiviral treatment.However,in the absence of imaging evidence of liver cancer,a reasonable expla-nation for this phenomenon is still lacking.AIM To explore the causes of abnormal AFP in patients with CHB who were not diag-nosed with liver cancer.METHODS From November 2019 to May 2023,15 patients with CHB after antiviral treatment and elevated AFP were selected.Clinical data and quality indicators related to laboratory testing,imaging data,and pathological data were obtained through inpatient medical records.RESULTS All patients had increased AFP and significantly elevated IgG.Cancer was excluded by imaging examination.Only four patients had elevated alanine ami-notransferase,10 had elevated aspartate aminotransferase,nine had elevated total bilirubin,and two had antinuclear antibodies.The liver biopsy and histopatho-logical examination indicated that 14 patients had rosette,moderate,or higher interfacial inflammation,lymphocyte infiltration,and severe hepatic fibers(11 cases),which was consistent with the pathological features of autoimmune hepa-titis(AIH).After 8-12 week of hormone therapy,the levels of AFP and IgG,and liver function returned to normal(P<0.05).CONCLUSION For patients with CHB and elevated AFP after antiviral treatment,autoimmune hepatitis should be considered.CHB with AIH is clinically insidious and difficult to detect,and prone to progression to cirrhosis.Liver puncture pathological examination should be performed when necessary to confirm diagnosis.

Passive activity enhances residual control ability in patients with complete spinal cord injury

Patients with complete spinal cord injury retain the potential for volitional muscle activity in muscles located below the spinal injury level.However,because of prolonged inactivity,initial attempts to activate these muscles may not effectively engage any of the remaining neurons in the descending pathway.A previous study unexpectedly found that a brief clinical round of passive activity significantly increased volitional muscle activation,as measured by surface electromyography.In this study,we further explored the effect of passive activity on surface electromyographic signals during volitional control tasks among individuals with complete spinal cord injury.Eleven patients with chronic complete thoracic spinal cord injury were recruited.Surface electromyography data from eight major leg muscles were acquired and compared before and after the passive activity protocol.The results indicated that the passive activity led to an increased number of activated volitional muscles and an increased frequency of activation.Although the cumulative root mean square of surface electromyography amplitude for volitional control of movement showed a slight increase after passive activity,the difference was not statistically significant.These findings suggest that brief passive activity may enhance the ability to initiate volitional muscle activity during surface electromyography tasks and underscore the potential of passive activity for improving residual motor control among patients with motor complete spinal cord injury.

Prognostic value of combined detection of alpha-fetoprotein,plasma prothrombin activity,and serum prealbumin in acute-on-chronic liver failure

BACKGROUND Acute-on-chronic liver failure(ACLF)is a liver disease based on chronic liver disease,which is significantly influenced by clinical treatment regimen and disease status,and despite the existence of multiple prognostic assessment indicators for ACLF,the overall sensitivity and accuracy are relatively low.AIM To investigate the prognostic value of the combined detection of alpha-fetoprotein(AFP),plasma prothrombin activity(PTA),and serum prealbumin(PA)in ACLF.METHODS This retrospective study included 87 patients with ACLF admitted from February 2021 to February 2023 and categorized them into the survival(n=47)and death(n=40)groups according to their clinical outcomes 3 months posttreatment.All the participants underwent AFP,PTA,and PA level measurements upon admission.Baseline data,as well as AFP,PTA,and PA levels,were comparatively analyzed.Pearson correlation coefficients were utilized to analyze the correlations of AFP,PTA,and PA with different survival outcomes in patients with ACLF.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves and areas under the curves were used to evaluate the predictive value of AFP,PTA,and PA for ACLF prognosis.RESULTS AFP,PTA,and PA levels were markedly decreased in the death group than in the survival group(P<0.05).Pearson analysis indicated a positive association of the AFP,PTA,and PA levels with the survival of patients with ACLF(P<0.05).ROC curve analysis determined the sensitivity and specificity of the combined diagnosis at 91.24%and 100.00%,respectively,both of which were notably increased compared to the single-index diagnosis.The ROC of their combined diagnosis was 0.989,significantly surpassing 0.907,0.849,and 0.853 of AFP,PTA,and PA,respectively.No statistically significant variance was determined in the sensitivity and specificity of the combined diagnosis vs the single detection(P>0.05).CONCLUSION The combined detection of AFP,PTA,and PA levels demonstrates favorable diagnostic value for the short-term prognosis of patients with ACLF,featuring high sensitivity and specificity.

Physicochemical Characters of rPoIFN-α and Its Antiviral Activity in vitro

[Objective]The research aimed to test and identify the physicochemical characters and antiviral activity in vitro of semi-finished product of the recombinant porcine rPoIFN-α. [Method]HEp-2/VSV system was used to test the antiviral activity of three batches of rPoIFN-α. Using recombinant human IFN-α as reference,the titer of interferon was measured. The semi-finished product of rPoIFN-α with the known titer were treated with 0.25% trypsin,HCl and mouse anti-porcine IFN-α monoclonal antibody. And the anti-viral activity of each batch of rPoIFN-α was detected. The physicochemical characters of rPoIFN-α were evaluated. The inhibition of induced cytopathic effect of rPoIFN-α on PPV （Porcine parvovirus） and PRV （Porcine pseudorabies） on swine kidney cell （PK-15） was determined. And the antiviral activity of rPoIFN-α in vitro was observed. [Result]The titers of semi-finished products of rPoIFN-α titrated by HEp-2/VSV system could reach 1.5×105 IU/ml,with the specific activity of 1.1×106 IU/mg. The residual rate of the tier of rPoIFN-α treated by 0.25% trypsin at 37 ℃ for 1 h was less than 1%. And that treated with HCl （pH of 2.0） for 72 h was up to 95%. And that treated at 56 ℃ for 30 min and that treated by mouse anti-porcine IFN-α monoclonal antibody at 37 ℃ for 1 h were higher than 47% and about 1% respectively. The antiviral test in vitro showed that 50 and 500 IU/ml rPoIFN-α could inhibit the induced cytopathic effect of PRV and PPV on PK-15 cell lines. [Conclusion]rPoIFN-α had the basic physicochemical characters of IFN-α. And it could inhibit the induced cytopathic effect of PRV and PPV on PK-15 cell lines,but there was dosage difference.

Antiviral Activity of the Effective Monomers from Folium Isatidis Against Influenza Virus in Vivo

In order to evaluate the anti-influenza virus activity of the effective monomer from Folium Isatidis (FI) in vivo,we established mice model with viral pneumonia and divided them into 3 different dose groups,then observed their lung indexes,pulmonary pathological changes,pulmonary virus hemagglitination titers,living time and death rates.The results showed that the monomer could reduce the pulmonary index from 2.64 to 1.93,1.63 and 1.40 (P<0.01) and decrease the hemagglitination titer from 1.15 to 0.84,0.70 and 0.59 (P<0.01).In addition,different groups of FI could significantly lessen the mortality rate from 100% to 30%,25% and 15%,and prolong the living time from 5.1d to 6.5d,8.4d and 8.9d respectively(P<0.01).The high dose (75 mg/kg/d) has the similar effect with 100 mg/kg/d dose of virazole(P>0.05),and more effective than 200 mg/kg/d dose of antiviral liquor (P<0.05).

Antiviral Activity of GuiQi Polysaccharides against Enterovirus 71 in vitro

In this study,we have investigated the antiviral activity of GuiQi polysaccharides (GQP) upon enterovirus 71 (EV71) in vitro.An assay using methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT),and analyses of cytopathic effects (CPE)were used to examine the antiviral activity of GQP upon Vero cells infected with EV71.The results revealed that GQP at concentrations below 31.2μg/mL exhibited significant antiviral effects upon EV71 when applied under three different experimental protocols.GQP was most strongly active in preventing the adsorption of EV71 to target cells and in this respect it was significantly more effective than ribavirin.In addition,it was clear that GQP could inhibit viral replication when added to cells 2 h after infection,but if added at the point of infection its effect was weak.GQP is considered to be less toxic than ribavirin,and may warrant further evaluation as a possible agent in the treatment of hand,foot and mouth disease (HFMD).

Antiviral activity of five Asian medicinal pant crude extracts against highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus

Objective: To study the antiviral properties of the five Asian medicinal plants against in vitro infection by the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus(H5N1).Methods: Crude extracts of Andrographis paniculata, Curcuma longa(C. longa),Gynostemma pentaphyllum, Kaempferia parviflora(K. parviflora), and Psidium guajava obtained by both water and ethanol extractions were investigated for their cytotoxicity in the Madin–Darby canine kidney cells. Thereafter, they were investigated in vitro for antiviral activity and cytokine response upon H5N1 virus infection.Results: The results revealed that both water and ethanol extracts of all the five studied plants showed significant antiviral activity against H5N1 virus. Among these plants,C. longa and K. parviflora showed strong anti-H5N1 activity. Thus, they were selected for further studies on their cytokine response upon virus infection. It was found that ethanol and water crude extracts of C. longa and K. parviflora induced significant upregulation of TNF-a and IFN-b m RNA expressions, suggesting their roles in the inhibition of H5N1 virus replication.Conclusions: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is among the earliest reports to illustrate the antiviral property of these Asian medicinal plants against the highly pathogenic avian H5N1 influenza virus. The results of this study shed light on alternative therapeutic sources for treatment of H5N1 influenza virus infection in the future.

Antiviral Activity of Recombinant Cyanovirin-N against HSV-1

In this study,a standard strain of HSV-1 (strain SM44) was used to investigate the antiviral activity of the recombinant Cyanovirin-N (CV-N) against Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in vitro and in vivo.Cytopathic effect (CPE) and MTT assays were used to evaluate the effect of CV-N on HSV-1 in Vero cells.The number of copies of HSV-DNA was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (FQ-PCR).The results showed that CV-N had a low cytotoxicity on Vero cells with a CC50 of 359.03±0.56 μg/mL,and that it could not directly inactivate HSV-1 infectivity.CV-N not only reduced the CPE of HSV-1 when added before or after viral infection,with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) with 2.26 and 30.16μg/mL respectively,but it also decreased the copies of HSV-1 DNA in infected host cells.The encephalitis model for HSV-1 infection was conducted in Kunming mice,and treated with three dosages of CV-N (0.5,5 & 10 mg/kg) which was administered intraperitoneally at 2h,3d,5d,7d post infection.The duration for the appearance of symptoms of encephalitis and the survival days were recorded and brain tissue samples were obtained for pathological examination (HE staining).Compared with the untreated control group,in the 5mg/kg CV-N and 10mg/kg CV-N treated groups,the mice suffered light symptoms and the number of survival days were more than 9d and 14d respectively.HE staining also showed that in 5mg/kg CV-N and 10mg/kg CV-N treated groups,the brain cells did not show visible changes,except for a slight inflammation.Our results demonstrated that CV-N has pronounced antiviral activity against HSV-1 both in vitro and in vivo,and it would be a promising new candidate for anti-HSV therapeutics.

Antiviral activity of Basidiomycete mycelia against influenza type A(serotype H1N1) and herpes simplex virus type 2 in cell culture

In this study, we investigated the in vitro antiviral activity of the mycelia of higher mushrooms against influenza virus type A(serotype H1N1) and herpes simplex virus type 2(HSV-2), strain BH. All 10 investigated mushroom species inhibited the reproduction of influenza virus strain A/FM/1/47(H1N1) in MDCK cells reducing the infectious titer by 2.0–6.0 lg ID50. Four species, Pleurotus ostreatus, Fomes fomentarius, Auriporia aurea, and Trametes versicolor, were also determined to be effective against HSV-2 strain BH in RK-13 cells, with similar levels of inhibition as for influenza. For some of the investigated mushroom species—Pleurotus eryngii, Lyophyllum shimeji, and Flammulina velutipes—this is the first report of an anti-influenza effect. This study also reports the first data on the medicinal properties of A. aurea, including anti-influenza and antiherpetic activities. T. versicolor 353 mycelium was found to have a high therapeutic index(324.67), and may be a promising material for the pharmaceutical industry as an anti-influenza and antiherpetic agent with low toxicity. Mycelia with antiviral activity were obtained in our investigation by bioconversion of agricultural wastes(amaranth flour after CO2 extraction), which would reduce the cost of the final product and solve some ecological problems.

Studies on Antiviral and Immuno-Regulation Activity of Low Molecular Weight Fucoidan from Laminaria japonica

The antiviral activity in vitro and in vivo and the effect of the immune system of two fucoidan fractions with low molecular weight and different sulfate content from Laminaria japonica(LMW fucoidans) were investigated in order to examine the possible mechanism. In vitro, I-type influenza virus, adenovirus and Parainfluenza virus I were used to infect Hep-2, Hela and MDCK cells, respectively. And 50% tissue culture infective dose was calculated to detect the antiviral activity of two LMW fucoidans. The results indicated that compared with the control group, 2 kinds of LMW fucoidans had remarkable antiviral activity in vitro in middle and high doses, while at low doses, the antiviral activity of 2 kinds of LMW fucoidans was not statistically different from that in the blank control group. And there was no statistically difference between two LMW fucoidans in antiviral activity. In vivo, LMW fucoidans could prolong the survival time of virus-infected mice, and could improve the lung index of virus-infected mice significantly, which have statistical differences with the control group significantly(p < 0.01). However, the survival time of the two LMW fucoidans was not statistically significant(p > 0.05). In this study, it was shown that both of two LMW fucoidans(LF1, LF2) could increase the thymus index, spleen index, phagocytic index, phagocytosis coefficient and half hemolysin value in middle and high doses, which suggested that LMW fucoidans could play an antiviral role by improving the quality of immune organs, improving immune cell phagocytosis and humoral immunity.

Evaluation of the Antiviral Activity of Propolis from Native Bees (<i>Plebeia frontalis</i>) against Canine Distemper Virus

Propolis is a natural substance made from resins collected from trees and plants, and which bees combine with pollen, wax, and their own enzymes. It has a complex chemical composition that varies with the harvest season, vegetation type, bee species, and geographical region. Thanks to its components, it has valuable biological properties such as antifungal, antibacterial, anticancer, antiviral, and immunomodulatory activity. For this study, a sample of propolis harvested in April 2019 was used, which came from a bee native to Mexico (Plebeia frontalis) in whose geographical environment there are seven other native species. Canine distemper virus is an RNA virus that causes a systemic infection with high fatality rates in guests without protective immunity. In this work, the antiviral effect of Plebeia frontalis propolis on canine distemper virus was tested, administering it one hour before and simultaneously to infection. The antiviral effect was evaluated by determining cellular viability with the MTT assay. The results obtained show that this propolis has a statistically significant antiviral effect on both treatments, although it is slightly better when applied one hour before viral infection, so we can recommend it as an antiviral treatment in both domestic animals and human beings. There are currently few studies of the antiviral effect of propolis, this being the first study of a melliponium propolis in veterinary medicine.

Antiviral Activity of Dual-acting Hydrocarbon-stapled Peptides against HIV-1 Predominantly Circulating in China

Objective New rationally designed i,i＋7-hydrocarbon-stapled peptides that target both HIV-1 assembly and entry have been shown to have antiviral activity against HIV-1 subtypes circulating in Europe and North America. Here, we aimed to evaluate the antiviral activity of these peptides against HIV-1 subtypes predominantly circulating in China. Methods The antiviral activity of three i,i＋7-hydrocarbon-stapled peptides, NYAD-36, NYAD-67, and NYAD-66, against primary HIV-1 CRF07_BC and CRFOI_AE isolates was evaluated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells （PI3MCs）. The activity against the CRF07_BC and CRF01_AE Env-pseudotyped viruses was analyzed in TZM-bl cells. Results We found that all the stapled peptides were effective in inhibiting infection by all the primary HIV-1 isolates tested, with 50% inhibitory concentration toward viral replication （ICso） in the low micromolar range. NYAD-36 and NYAD-67 showed better antiviral activity than NYAD-66 did. We further evaluated the sensitivity of CRF01_AE and CRF07_BC Env-pseudotyped viruses to these stapled peptides in a single-cycle virus infectivity assay. As observed with the primary isolates, the ICs0s were in the low micromolar range, and NYAD-66 was less effective than NYAD-36 and NYAD-67. Conclusion Hydrocarbon-stapled peptides appear to have broad antiviral activity against the predominant HIV-1 viruses in China. This finding may provide the impetus to the rational design of peptides for future antiviral therapy.

Antiviral activity of the dichloromethane extracts from Artocarpus heterophyllus leaves against hepatitis C virus

Objective: To determine anti-viral activities of three Artocarpus species: Artocarpus altilis, Artocarpus camansi, and Artocarpus heterophyllus (A. heterophyllus) against Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). Methods: Antiviral activities of the crude extracts were examined by cell culture method using Huh7it-1 cells and HCV genotype 2a strain JFH1. The mode of action for anti-HCV activities was determined by time-of-addition experiments. The effect on HCV RNA replication and HCV accumulation in cells were analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR and western blotting, respectively. Results: The dichloromethane (DCM) extract of A. heterophyllus exhibited strong anti-HCV activity with an inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of (1.5 ± 0.6)μg/mL without obvious toxicity. The DCM extracts from Artocarpus altilis and Artocarpus camansi showed moderate anti-HCV activities with IC50 values being (6.5 ± 0.3) μg/mL and (9.7 ± 1.1) μg/mL, respectively. A time-of-addition studies showed that DCM extract from A. heterophyllus inhibited viral entry process though a direct virucidal activity and targeting host cells. HCV RNA replication and HCV protein expression were slightly reduced by the DCM treatment at high concentration. Conclusions: The DCM extract from A. heterophyllus is a good candidate to develop an antiviral agent to prevent HCV grant reinfection following liver transplantation.

Antiviral activity of mangiferin from the rhizome of Anemarrhena asphodeloides against herpes simplex virus type 1

Objective:To evaluate the antiviral activity of pure compounds against herpes simplex virus type 1(HSV-1)from the rhizome of Anemarrhena asphodeloides.Methods:Bioassay-guided isolation was conducted to separate the active compound and its chemical structure was elucidated by spectral analysis.In vitro antiviral efficacy of active compound was detected by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay,plaque reduction assay,and fluorescence observation.RT-PCR was used to determine the viral load and the cytokine-related gene expression after HSV-1 infection.In vivo study was also conducted to further determine antiviral efficacy of an active compound against HSV-1.Results:An active compound was isolated and elucidated as mangiferin.Mangiferin significantly inhibited the replication of HSV-1 in Vero cells with a half maximal inhibitory concentration(IC_(50))of 64.0 mg/L.Time-of-addition and time-of-removal assays demonstrated that mangiferin could effectively inhibit the replication of HSV-1 in the early stage(8 h).UL12,UL42,and UL54 gene expression levels of HSV-1 in the 64 mg/L mangiferin-treated group were markedly reduced as compared with the HSV-1 group(P<0.01).Fluorescence observation showed that mangiferin attenuated the mitochondrial damage maintainingΔΨm induced by HSV-1 in Vero cells.The expression of inflammatory factors TNF-α,IL-1β,and IL-6 was remarkably increased in the virus-infected group as compared with that in the normal group(P<0.05),the levels of these inflammatory factors dropped after treatment with mangiferin.Mangiferin significantly decreased the viral load and attenuated the HSV-1-induced up-regulation of TNF-α,IL-1β,and IL-6.The relative protection rate of HSV-1-infected mice could reach up to55.5%when the concentration of mangiferin was 4 g/kg.Conclusions:Mangiferin exhibits promising antiviral activity against HSV-1 in vitro and in vivo and could be a potential antiviral agent for HSV-1.