Virocidal activity of Egyptian scorpion venoms against hepatitis C virus

• Published in: Virology journal Vol. 12; no. 1; p. 47
• Main Authors: El-Bitar, Alaa MH, Sarhan, Moustafa MH, Aoki, Chie, Takahara, Yusuke, Komoto, Mari, Deng, Lin, Moustafa, Mohsen A, Hotta, Hak
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Springer-Verlag 24-03-2015; BioMed Central Ltd; BioMed Central
• Subjects: adverse effects; Androctonus; Animals; antimicrobial peptides; Antiviral agents; Antiviral Agents - toxicity; antiviral properties; Care and treatment; cell culture; chronic hepatitis; culture media; enzyme activity; Enzymes; Health aspects; heat; Hepacivirus - drug effects; Hepacivirus - physiology; Hepatitis C - virology; Hepatitis C virus; hepatoma; Humans; inhibitory concentration 50; Leiurus quinquestriatus; Liver; Liver cirrhosis; metalloproteinases; Methods; pathogenicity; Patient outcomes; Peptides; Scorpion Venoms - toxicity; Scorpions - chemistry; Venom; venoms; viruses; Japan; Egypt
• ISSN: 1743-422X; 1743-422X
• DOI: 10.1186/s12985-015-0276-6

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major global health problem, causing chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Development of well-tolerated regimens with high cure rates and fewer side effects is still much needed. Recently, natural antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are attracting more attention as biological compounds and can be a good template to develop therapeutic agents, including antiviral agents against a variety of viruses. Various AMPs have been characterized from the venom of different venomous animals including scorpions. METHODS: The possible antiviral activities of crude venoms obtained from five Egyptian scorpion species (Leiurus quinquestriatus, Androctonus amoreuxi, A. australis, A. bicolor and Scorpio maurus palmatus) were evaluated by a cell culture method using Huh7.5 cells and the J6/JFH1-P47 strain of HCV. Time-of-addition experiments and inactivation of enzymatic activities of the venoms were carried out to determine the characteristics of the anti-HCV activities. RESULTS: S. maurus palmatus and A. australis venoms showed anti-HCV activities, with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC₅₀) being 6.3 ± 1.6 and 88.3 ± 5.8 μg/ml, respectively. S. maurus palmatus venom (30 μg/ml) impaired HCV infectivity in culture medium, but not inside the cells, through virocidal effect. The anti-HCV activity of this venom was not inhibited by a metalloprotease inhibitor or heating at 60°C. The antiviral activity was directed preferentially against HCV. CONCLUSIONS: S. maurus palmatus venom is considered as a good natural source for characterization and development of novel anti-HCV agents targeting the entry step. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing antiviral activities of Egyptian scorpion venoms against HCV, and may open a new approach towards discovering antiviral compounds derived from scorpion venoms.