Comparison of Anti-Viral Activity of Frog Skin Anti-Microbial Peptides Temporin-Sha and [K³]SHa to LL-37 and Temporin-Tb against Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1.
Roy. Maëva M; Lebeau. Lucie L; Chessa. Céline C; Damour. Alexia A; Ladram. Ali A; Oury. Bruno B; Boutolleau. David D; Bodet. Charles C; Lévêque. Nicolas N
Key Findings
- Temporin‑SHa and [Kβ]SHa inhibit HSV‑1 replication in primary human keratinocytes at micromolar concentrations.
- These peptides act directly on the virus (virucidal), reducing infectious virus in solution.
- LL‑37’s antiviral effect is indirect, enhancing cellular interferon‑stimulated genes rather than destroying the virus particle.
Practical Outcomes
- For biohackers, these frog peptides show promise as topical antivirals against HSV‑1, but they are still experimental and not formulated for human use. The study suggests that direct‑acting antiviral peptides can be developed, yet more work is needed on safety, delivery, and dosing before they can be incorporated into DIY health protocols.
Summary
The frog skin peptides temporin‑SHa and its synthetic version [Kβ]SHa can stop herpes simplex virus‑1 (HSV‑1) from replicating in human skin cells at micromolar doses. They work by directly killing the virus particles, unlike the human peptide LL‑37, which boosts the cell’s own antiviral defenses. Their effect is similar to another frog peptide (temporin‑Tb) but not as strong as LL‑37.
Abstract
Temporins are anti-microbial peptides synthesized in the skin of frogs of the <i>Ranidae</i> family. The few studies to date that have examined their anti-viral properties have shown that they have potential as anti-viral therapies. In this work, we evaluated the anti-herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) activity of the temporin-SHa (SHa) and its synthetic analog [K³]SHa. Human cathelicidin LL-37 and temporin-Tb (Tb), previously demonstrated to have anti-HSV-1 properties, were used as positive controls. We observed that SHa and [K³]SHa significantly inhibit HSV-1 replication in human primary keratinocytes when used at micromolar concentrations. This anti-viral activity was equivalent to that of Tb, but lower than that of LL-37. Transcriptomic analyses revealed that SHa did not act through the modulation of the cell innate immune response, but rather, displayed virucidal properties by reducing infectious titer of HSV-1 in suspension. In contrast, pre-incubation of the virus with LL-37 suggests that this peptide does not act directly on the viral particle at non-cytotoxic concentrations tested. The anti-HSV-1 activity of LL-37 appears to be due to the potentiation of cellular anti-viral defenses through the induction of interferon stimulated gene expression in infected primary keratinocytes. This study demonstrated that SHa and [K³]SHa, in addition to their previously reported antibacterial and antiparasitic activities, are direct-acting anti-HSV-1 peptides. Importantly, this study extends the little studied anti-viral attributes of frog temporins and offers perspectives for the development of new anti-HSV-1 therapies.
Study Information
pubmed
2019
2019-01-18T00:00:00.000Z
10.3390/v11010077
40
45