muramidase and Herpes-Simplex

Topics: Herpes Simplex; Herpes Zoster; Humans; Lichen Planus; Muramidase; Stomatitis, Aphthous; Virus Diseases

Topics: Chymotrypsin; Cornea; Corneal Transplantation; Herpes Simplex; Humans; Keratitis; Keratitis, Dendritic; Muramidase; Sulfonamides

The frequent oral shedding of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in the absence of clinical disease suggests that symptomatic HSV-1 recurrences may be inhibited by the mucosal environment. Indeed, saliva has been shown to contain substances with anti-HSV activity. In the current study, we investigated the anti-HSV-1 activity of human lactoferrin (hLf) and lysozyme (hLz), two highly cationic polypeptides of the mucosal innate defence system. HLf blocked HSV-1 infection at multiple steps of the viral replication cycle, whereas lysozyme displayed no anti-HSV-1 activity. Preincubation of HSV-1 virions and presence of hLf during or after viral absorption period or for the entire HSV-1 infection cycle inhibited HSV-1 infection by reducing both the plaque count and plaque size in a dose- and virus strain-dependent manner. Cell-to-cell spread of wild-type HSV-1 and the strain gC-39, deleted of glycoprotein C, was dramatically reduced, but the cell-to-cell spread of HSV-1 Rid1, harboring a mutated gD and thus unable to react with the cellular HVEM receptor, remained unchanged. This suggests that the inhibition of cell-to-cell spread is mediated by effects on gD or its cellular counterparts. Our results show that the cationic nature is not a major determinant in the anti-HSV action of mucosal innate cationic polypeptides, since whereas hLf inhibited HSV-1 infection efficiently, hLz had no HSV-1 inhibiting activity. Our results show that in addition to inhibiting the adsorption and post-attachment events of HSV-1 infection, hLf is also able to neutralize HSV-1 and that the inhibition of cell-to-cell spread involves viral gD. These results suggest that Lf may have a significant role in the modulation of HSV-1 infection in the oral cavity as well as in the genital mucosa, the major sites of HSV-1 infection.

Topics: Animals; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; Chlorocebus aethiops; Down-Regulation; Herpes Simplex; Herpesvirus 1, Human; Humans; Lactoferrin; Muramidase; Saliva; Vero Cells; Virus Replication

Topics: Female; Herpes Simplex; Humans; Meningitis; Meningoencephalitis; Middle Aged; Muramidase

Using 12-day old baby mice, strain NMRI, the LD50 of a Herpes simplex virus type 1 was calculated. Intragastric inoculation of the mice was carried out applying a stomach tube. Lethality of the mice was reduced from 67% to 23% by pre-incubation of the virus suspension for 30 min at 37 degrees C in the presence of 0.2 mg tyrothricin/ml. The effect was statistically significant and could be produced only after direct contact between tyrothricin and virus. Under the same conditions there was no effect of lysozyme against virus infectivity.

Topics: Animals; Drug Interactions; Herpes Simplex; Mice; Muramidase; Time Factors; Tyrothricin

Topics: Adult; Blood Transfusion; Female; gamma-Globulins; Herpes Simplex; Humans; Immunotherapy; Lymphatic Diseases; Muramidase; Recurrence

Topics: Adolescent; Antiviral Agents; Epididymitis; Herpes Simplex; Herpes Zoster; Humans; Male; Muramidase