Several catechins and flavonols from green tea inhibit severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus infection in vitro.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging tick-borne hemorrhagic fever caused by SFTS virus (SFTSV). The mortality rate of SFTS is pretty high, but no vaccines and antiviral drugs are currently available.

METHODS:

The antiviral effects of six green tea-related polyphenols, including four catechins and two flavonols, on SFTSV were evaluated to identify natural antiviral compounds.

RESULTS:

Pretreatment with all polyphenols inhibited SFTSV infection in a concentration-dependent manner. The half-maximal inhibitory concentrations of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) and (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC) were 1.7-1.9 and 11-39 μM, respectively. The selectivity indices of EGCg and EGC were larger than those of the other polyphenols. Furthermore, pretreatment with EGCg and EGC dose-dependently decreased viral attachment to the host cells. Additionally, the treatment of infected cells with EGCg and EGC inhibited infection more significantly at a lower multiplicity of infection (MOI) than at a higher MOI, and this effect was less effective than that of pretreatment. Pyrogallol, a trihydroxybenzene that is the structural backbone of both EGCg and EGC, also inhibited SFTSV infection, as did gallic acid.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our study revealed that green tea-related polyphenols, especially EGCg and EGC, are useful as candidate anti-SFTSV drugs. Furthermore, the structural basis of their antiviral activity was identified, which should enable investigations of more active drugs in the future.

• Authors: Motohiko Ogawa, Masayuki Shimojima, Masayuki Saijo, Masayoshi Fukasawa
• Journal: Journal of infection and chemotherapy : official journal of the Japan Society of Chemotherapy (J Infect Chemother) Vol. 27 Issue 1 Pg. 32-39 (Jan 2021) ISSN: 1437-7780 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 32868200 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2020 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Flavonols
• Tea
• Catechin

Topics

• Catechin (pharmacology)
• Flavonols
• Hemorrhagic Fevers, Viral
• Humans
• Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome
• Tea