Document Type
Article
Journal Title
PLoS One
Publication Date
Spring 4-24-2015
Volume
10
Abstract
Human LL-37, a cationic antimicrobial peptide, was recently shown to have antiviral activity against influenza A virus (IAV) strains in vitro and in vivo. In this study we compared the anti-influenza activity of LL-37 with that of several fragments derived from LL-37. We first tested the peptides against a seasonal H3N2 strain and the mouse adapted H1N1 strain, PR-8. The N-terminal fragment, LL-23, had slight neutralizing activity against these strains. In LL-23V9 serine 9 is substituted by valine creating a continuous hydrophobic surface. LL-23V9 has been shown to have increased anti-bacterial activity compared to LL-23 and we now show slightly increased antiviral activity compared to LL-23 as well. The short central fragments, FK-13 and KR-12, which have anti-bacterial activity did not inhibit IAV. In contrast, a longer 20 amino acid central fragment of LL-37 (GI-20) had neutralizing activity similar to LL-37. None of the peptides inhibited viral hemagglutination or neuraminidase activity. We next tested activity of the peptides against a strain of pandemic H1N1 of 2009 (A/California/04/09/H1N1 or "Cal09"). Unexpectedly, LL-37 had markedly reduced activity against Cal09 using several cell types and assays of antiviral activity. A mutant viral strain containing just the hemagglutinin (HA) of 2009 pandemic H1N1 was inhibited by LL-37, suggested that genes other than the HA are involved in the resistance of pH1N1. In contrast, GI-20 did inhibit Cal09. In conclusion, the central helix of LL-37 incorporated in GI-20 appears to be required for optimal antiviral activity. The finding that GI-20 inhibits Cal09 suggests that it may be possible to engineer derivatives of LL-37 with improved antiviral properties.
MeSH Headings
Amino Acid Sequence, Animals, Antiviral Agents, Cathelicidins, Cells, Cultured, Drug Resistance, Viral, Humans, Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype, Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype, Influenza, Human, Mice, Models, Molecular, Molecular Sequence Data, Pandemics, Peptide Fragments, Protein Conformation, Seasons, Virus Replication
DOI Link
ISSN
1932-6203
Rights
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication 1.0 License. Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication 1.0
Recommended Citation
Tripathi, Shweta; Wang, Guangshun; White, Mitchell; Qi, Li; Taubenberger, Jeffery; and Hartshorn, Kevan L., "Antiviral Activity of the Human Cathelicidin, LL-37, and Derived Peptides on Seasonal and Pandemic Influenza A Viruses." (2015). Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology. 55.
https://digitalcommons.unmc.edu/com_pathmicro_articles/55