Dehydroepiandrosterone, epiandrosterone and synthetic derivatives inhibit Junin virus replication in vitro.

Abstract

In the present paper the in vitro antiviral activity of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), epiandrosterone (EA) and 16 synthetic derivatives against Junin virus (JUNV) replication in Vero cells was studied. DHEA and EA caused a selective inhibition of the replication of JUNV and other members of the Arenaviridae family such as Pichinde virus and Tacaribe virus. The compounds were not virucidal to cell-free JUNV. The impairment of viral replication was not due to an inhibitory effect of the steroids on virus adsorption or internalization. An inhibitory effect of the compounds on JUNV protein synthesis and both intracellular and extracellular virus production was demonstrated. A partial inhibitory action on cell surface expression of JUNV glycoprotein G1 was also detected on DHEA- and EA-treated cultures. Like DHEA and EA, three compounds obtained from EA by chemical synthesis showed selectivity indexes higher than ribavirin, the only antiviral compound that has shown partial efficacy against arenavirus infections.

• Authors: Eliana G Acosta, Andrea C Bruttomesso, Juan A Bisceglia, Mónica B Wachsman, Lydia R Galagovsky, Viviana Castilla
• Journal: Virus research (Virus Res) Vol. 135 Issue 2 Pg. 203-12 (Aug 2008) ISSN: 0168-1702 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 18462821 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antiviral Agents
• Viral Proteins
• Dehydroepiandrosterone
• Androsterone

Topics

• Androsterone (analogs & derivatives, chemical synthesis, pharmacology, toxicity)
• Animals
• Antiviral Agents (chemical synthesis, chemistry, pharmacology, toxicity)
• Chlorocebus aethiops
• Dehydroepiandrosterone (analogs & derivatives, chemical synthesis, pharmacology, toxicity)
• Junin virus (drug effects, physiology)
• Structure-Activity Relationship
• Vero Cells
• Viral Proteins (biosynthesis)
• Virus Replication (drug effects)