Preparation of a monoPEGylated derivative of cyanovirin-N and its virucidal effect on acyclovir-resistant strains of herpes simplex virus type 1

Arch Virol. 2019 May;164(5):1259-1269. doi: 10.1007/s00705-018-04118-4. Epub 2019 Mar 23.

Abstract

The long-term administration of acyclovir (ACV) for therapy against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infections can result in the emergence of ACV-resistant HSV strains. It is therefore urgent to develop new anti-herpetic compounds with mechanisms that differ from that of ACV. Cyanovirin-N (CV-N) is an antiviral agent that has an inhibitory effect on HSV-1 infections, and PEGylation of CV-N is potentially useful for pharmaceutical applications. Here, a (Gly4Ser)3 linker molecule was attached to the N-terminus of CV-N, and the resulting compound, linker-CV-N (LCV-N), was produced on a pilot scale with purity up to 95%. Then, PEG10k-LCV-N was synthesized by modifying at the α-amine group of the N-terminus of LCV-N with 10-kDa polyethylene glycol propionaldehyde (mPEG-ALD). CV-N, LCV-N and PEG10k-LCV-N were all found to have potent inhibitory activity against ACV-resistant HSV strains with IC50 values in the nM range. LCV-N was the most potent of these three compounds against both normal and ACV-resistant HSV strains. Although PEG10k-LCV-N showed less antiviral activity than CV-N and LCV-N, it still exhibited significant and universal virucidal activity against drug-resistant viruses. The toxicity and immunogenicity of PEG10k-LCV-N were dramatically lower than those of CV-N and LCV-N. In conclusion, we suggest that LCV-N and PEG10k-LCV-N are promising and safe microbicides for the control and/or treatment of ACV-resistant HSV infection.

MeSH terms

  • Acyclovir / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemical synthesis
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry*
  • Bacterial Proteins / therapeutic use*
  • Carrier Proteins / chemical synthesis
  • Carrier Proteins / chemistry*
  • Carrier Proteins / therapeutic use*
  • Cell Line
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Drug Resistance, Viral / genetics
  • Female
  • Herpes Simplex / drug therapy*
  • Herpesvirus 1, Human / drug effects*
  • Herpesvirus 1, Human / growth & development
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Polyethylene Glycols / chemistry*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Vero Cells

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • cyanovirin N
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Acyclovir