Peptides corresponding to the predicted heptad repeat 2 domain of the feline coronavirus spike protein are potent inhibitors of viral infection.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a lethal immune-mediated disease caused by feline coronavirus (FCoV). Currently, no therapy with proven efficacy is available. In searching for agents that may prove clinically effective against FCoV infection, five analogous overlapping peptides were designed and synthesized based on the putative heptad repeat 2 (HR2) sequence of the spike protein of FCoV, and the antiviral efficacy was evaluated.

METHODS:

Plaque reduction assay and MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) cytotoxicity assay were performed in this study. Peptides were selected using a plaque reduction assay to inhibit Feline coronavirus infection.

RESULTS:

The results demonstrated that peptide (FP5) at concentrations below 20 μM inhibited viral replication by up to 97%. The peptide (FP5) exhibiting the most effective antiviral effect was further combined with a known anti-viral agent, human interferon-α (IFN-α), and a significant synergistic antiviral effect was observed.

CONCLUSION:

Our data suggest that the synthetic peptide FP5 could serve as a valuable addition to the current FIP prevention methods.

• Authors: I-Jung Liu, Wan-Ting Tsai, Li-En Hsieh, Ling-Ling Chueh
• Journal: PloS one (PLoS One) Vol. 8 Issue 12 Pg. e82081 ( 2013) ISSN: 1932-6203 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 24312629 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antiviral Agents
• Interferon-alpha
• Peptide Fragments
• Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus

Topics

• Amino Acid Sequence
• Animals
• Antiviral Agents (chemistry, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Cats
• Cell Line
• Coronavirus Infections (drug therapy)
• Coronavirus, Feline (drug effects, physiology)
• Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
• Drug Synergism
• Humans
• Interferon-alpha (pharmacology)
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Peptide Fragments (chemistry, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Protein Structure, Tertiary
• Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus (chemistry)
• Virus Replication (drug effects)