A RhoA-derived peptide inhibits human immunodeficiency virus-1 entry in vitro

Curr HIV Res. 2011 Jan;9(1):1-5. doi: 10.2174/157016211794582605.

Abstract

RhoA-derived peptides have been shown to have antiviral activity against both human respiratory syncytial virus and human parainfluenza virus-3. The present study investigates the toxicity, anti-HIV-1 activity and mechanism of action of a RhoA-derived peptide (RhoA 77-95). The efficacy of this peptide was compared to a scrambled peptide of the same amino acid composition and Enfuvirtide, a HIV entry inhibitor. Our data show that this RhoA-derived peptide is a non-toxic and effective inhibitor of a CXCR4 tropic strain of HIV-1. We also demonstrate that the mechanism of entry inhibition is likely mediated by polyanionic properties and is dependent on the dimerization of peptides.

MeSH terms

  • Cell Line
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral / drug effects
  • Enfuvirtide
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp41 / pharmacology
  • HIV Fusion Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • HIV Fusion Inhibitors / toxicity
  • HIV-1 / drug effects*
  • HIV-1 / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests / methods
  • Oligopeptides / genetics
  • Oligopeptides / pharmacology*
  • Oligopeptides / toxicity
  • Peptide Fragments / pharmacology
  • Protein Multimerization
  • Virus Internalization / drug effects*
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / genetics
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / pharmacology*
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / toxicity

Substances

  • HIV Envelope Protein gp41
  • HIV Fusion Inhibitors
  • Oligopeptides
  • Peptide Fragments
  • RHOA protein, human
  • Enfuvirtide
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein