Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Indexed by Science Citation Index (SciSearch), International Pharmaceutical Abstract, Chemical Abstracts, Embase, Index Copernicus, EBSCO, African Index Medicus, JournalSeek, Journal Citation Reports/Science Edition, Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), African Journal Online, Bioline International, Open-J-Gate

ISSN: 1596-5996 (print); 1596-9827 (electronic)-

Home | Back Issues | Current Issue | Review manuscript | Submit manuscript


	This Article
	Abstract
	Full-Text (PDF)
	Table of contents
	Comments
	Letters
	Comments to Editor

	e-mail Alert
	Sign Up

Research Article

Screening and Mechanism of Trapping Ligand Antagonist Peptide for Chemokine Receptor US28 of Human Cytomegalovirus

Hongai Liu, Hanxiao Sun*, Lu Li, Xuemei Mo, Xiuying Li and Guang Zhang

Institute of Genomic Medicine, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China

*For correspondence: Email: sunhx718@yahoo.com.cn or liuaihongny@163.com Tel: +86-020-38375022

Received: 7 November 2011 Revised accepted: 22 March 2012

Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, April 2012; 11(2): 193-200

http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/tjpr.v11i2.4

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to develop peptide H9 as an efficient antagonist of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) chemokine receptor US28.

Methods: US28 gene was amplified from HCMV, and a stable expression system was constructed using NIH/3T3 cells. Interaction between peptide H9 and receptor US28 was tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Flow cytometry was used to determine intracellular concentrations of Ca²⁺, and the possible role of H9 as an antagonist was evaluated by anti-viral experiments.

Results: H9 interacts with the US28 receptor and prevents an increase of Ca²⁺resulting from an interaction of chemokine with its receptor. Anti-viral assays showed that H9 could inhibit cytopathic effects of HCMV. AD169 infection (EC₅₀= 0.46 ng/ml), and the production of pp65 antigen were strongly inhibited with an EC₅₀ value of 0.34 ng/ml.

Conclusion: The results demonstrate that H9 is an antagonist of US28, suggesting a possible role as a treatment for HCMV.

Keywords: Human cytomegalovirus, US28, Peptide H9, Trapping receptor/ligand, Antagonist