Potential targets for antiviral chemotherapy

Orobol: An Inhibitor of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus that Blocks the Synthesis of Viral Nucleic Acids and the Glycosylation of G Protein

The naturally occurring isoflavonoid orobol exhibits antiviral effects against some animal viruses. Addition of the compound after virus entry inhibits the appearance of late viral protein synthesis in Vesicular Stomatitis Virus, influenza, or vaccinia virus-infected cells, but has no effect on poliovirus protein synthesis. Concentrations of the compound above 10–50 Mg ml−1 are sufficient to decrease the synthesis of VSV proteins when added early during infection, but have no effect on viral translation if added later, indicating that orobol does not block VSV translation directly. The synthesis of VSV nucleic acids is one of the targets of this flavonoid. The synthesis of both minus and plus-stranded viral RNA are inhibited by orobol when added during the first 2 h of infection. In addition, this compound interferes potently with the glycosylation of VSV G protein, indicating that orobol has several targets of antiviral action. The possibility that orobol interferes with the function of the cellular vesicular system is discussed.

Antipoliovirus flavonoids from Psiadia dentata

The search for antiviral agents against vesicular stomatitis virus, herpes simplex virus type 1 and poliovirus type 2 in plants extracts, led to the isolation of two antipoliovirus flavonoids from the medicinal plant Psiadia dentata (Cass.) DC, Asteraceae: 3-methylkaempferol and 3,4'-dimethylkaempferol. The antipoliovirus activity of both compounds was estimated by comparison with 3-methylquercetin, guanidine and Ro-090179. The most potent inhibitor of poliovirus replication was 3-methylkaempferol, and therefore we investigated its mechanism of action. We showed, using the inhibition of [3H]uridine incorporation in viral RNA and performing a dot-blot with one RNA probe specific for the poliovirus genomic strand RNA, that 3-methylkaempferol inhibits the genomic RNA synthesis of poliovirus.

Antiviral activity of south Brazilian medicinal plant extracts

Brazilian plants are potential sources of useful edible and medicinal plants. Hydromethanolic extracts prepared from 54 medicinal plants used in folk medicine to treat infections were screened for antiviral properties against five different viruses (HSV-1, HSV-2, poliovirus type 2, adenovirus type 2 and VSV). Fifty-two percent of the plant extracts exhibited antiviral against one or more tested viruses. More specifically, 42.6% showed activity against HSV-1 (herpes simplex virus type 1), 42.6% against HSV-2 (herpes simplex virus type 2), 26% against poliovirus and 24% against VSV (vesicular stomatitis virus). None of the extracts was active against adenovirus. Trixis praestans (Vell.) Cabr. and Cunila spicata Benth. extracts were further characterized for antiviral activity.

Mechanism of antiviral activity of triterpenoid saponins

Triterpenoid saponins are naturally occurring sugar conjugates of triterpenes possessing various biological activities, including antiviral action. Two substances isolated from natural sources were tested against herpes simplex virus type 1 replication. They did not show evidence of cytotoxicity under antiviral test conditions. The triterpenoid saponin, isolated from a Brazilian plant (s21), represents the oleanane group and inhibited herpes simplex virus type 1 DNA synthesis. The triterpenoid saponin, isolated from a Chinese plant (s17), represents the ursane group and seemed to inhibit viral capsid protein synthesis of herpes simplex virus type 1.

A rapid method for screening large numbers of environmental microorganisms for antiviral activity

A new method for screening microbial colonies endowed with antiviral activity is described. It is based on close contact between microbial agar cultures and agar-covered virus-infected-cell monolayers and allows the screening of large numbers of colonies in just a few months.

Uniform characterization of potentiation in simple and complex situations when agents bind to different molecular sites

There is general agreement about potentiation in dose-response studies, characterized by a left shift of the dose-response curve of A by a fixed dose of B when B is causing no effect by itself (simple situation). When B causes an effect similar to A (complex situation) by binding to different molecular sites, we propose an analogous analysis. This approach is based on comparison of experimental effects of A and B in combination with theoretical, independent effects, representing an effect of A that is not affected by B. We argue here that comparison of experimental effects with those of dose-additive (additive) combinations is inappropriate. Theoretical considerations and several practical examples show that the magnitude of effects due to additive combinations widely varies with the slope of dose-response curves of A. Consequently, it is also shown that one and the same theoretical effect may appear overadditive, additive, or underadditive. These situations are demonstrated by the experimental examples: inhibition of cytopathic effects in virus-infected cells, loss of righting reflex in mice, and smooth muscle relaxant effects of organic solvents.

Calculating slope and ED50 of additive dose-response curves, and application of these tabulated parameter values

Comparing dose-response curves (DRCs) of a compound A in the absence and presence of a fixed dose of an antagonist B is standard in pharmacology and toxicology. When B qualitatively resembles A in its action, it is often useful to construct theoretical DRCs of additive and independent combinations. Theoretical curves are calculated from experimental values by the program ALLFIT, which uses the four parameter logistic equation. DRCs of theoretical, additive DRCs are obtained by using the respective values for slope and ED50, which were taken from tables presented here compiled on the basis of the slope of the DRC of A alone (0.6-14) and of the effect of B alone (1-75%). These tables are unnecessary for the construction of theoretical curves if A acts by an independent mechanism, giving values for slope and ED50 identical to those of the DRC of A alone. Experimental DRCs of antiviral and other effects (the latter taken from data in the literature) are compared with theoretical curves by an F-test analysis provided by ALLFIT. The method can be used successfully for the construction of theoretical curves for additive and independent DRCs and comparison with experimental curves. This comparison may help clarify the mode of interaction of A with B.

Sugar modified oligonucleotides: synthesis, nuclease resistance and base pairing of oligodeoxynucleotides containing 1-(4'-thio-beta-D-ribofuranosyl)-thymine

XdT12 and dT5XdT6, where X is 1-(4'-thio-beta-d-ribofuranosyl)-thymine, were synthesized. The first oligonucleotide presents a better stability against calf spleen phosphodiesterase than natural dT12. The second one hybridizes with complementary sequence. However the X:A base pairing stability is lower than natural T:A one.

Inhibition of avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase by diphosphates of acyclic phosphonylmethyl nucleotide analogues

Diphosphates of N-(2-phosphonylmethoxyethyl) derivatives of heterocyclic bases were studied in the endogenous oligo(dT)12-18 primed reaction of reverse transcriptase from detergent-disrupted AMV(MAV) retrovirions. These diphosphates (analogues of nucleotide 5'-triphosphates) exhibited an inhibitory activity towards reverse transcriptase. This inhibitory activity was dependent on the character of the heterocyclic base and decreased in the order: 2-aminoadenine greater than adenine greater than guanine much greater than cytosine much greater than thymine greater than uracil. The 2-aminoadenine derivative was more potent than either AZT-TP or ddTTP, while PMEApp had approximately the same potency as the two reference compounds (IC50 approximately 1 microM at 20 microM competing substrate). This finding is consistent with the antiviral activity of the parent nucleotide analogues against retroviruses (including HIV).

Inhibition of orotidylate decarboxylase by 4(5H)-oxo-1-beta-D-ribofuranosylpyrazolo[3,4-d] pyrimidine-3-thiocarboxamide (APR-TC) in B lymphoblasts. Activation by adenosine kinase

The nucleoside allopurinol riboside-3-thiocarboxamide (APR-TC; 4-(5H)oxo-1-beta-D-ribofuranosylpyrazolo[3,4,d]pyrimidine-3-thioca rboxamide) demonstrates potent in vitro antiviral activity against various DNA and RNA viruses and cytostatic activity against a variety of cell lines in culture. The IC50 for APR-TC in the splenic derived B lymphoblast cell line, WI-L2, was 0.3 microM. Adenosine kinase-deficient WI-L2 cells were resistant to growth inhibition by APR-TC, indicating that adenosine kinase (EC 2.7.1.20) is responsible for phosphorylation of APR-TC to form the monophosphate derivative (APR-TC-5'P). A 4-hr incubation of cells with 50 microM APR-TC resulted in severe depletion of intracellular pyrimidine nucleotide pools and the accumulation of 3 microM APR-TC-5'P. The cytotoxicity of APR-TC was reversed by uridine, indicating that the active form of this compound inhibits the de novo pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway. Further, APR-TC-treated cells could not utilize the pyrimidine nucleotide precursor [6-14C]orotic acid, suggesting that the UMP synthase complex is the major cellular site of inhibition. In studies utilizing cell-free lysates of WI-L2, chemically prepared APR-TC-5'P provided potent inhibition of the orotidylate decarboxylase activity (ODCase, EC 4.1.1.23) of the UMP synthase complex. APR-TC-5'P was competitive with OMP, and a Ki value of 0.35 nM was determined.