Self-assembling peptide nanotubes with antiviral activity against hepatitis C virus.

ABSTRACT: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects chronically 3% of the world population and the current therapy against this pathogen is only partially effective. With the aim of developing novel antiviral strategies against HCV, we screened a D,L-?-peptide library using an unbiased methodology based on a cell culture infection system for HCV. We found a family of highly active amphiphilic eight-residue cyclic D,L-?-peptides that specifically blocked entry of all tested HCV genotypes into target cells at a postbinding step without affecting infection by other enveloped RNA viruses. Structure-activity relationship studies indicate that antiviral activity was dependent on cyclic D,L-?-peptide self-assembly processes and that, although they possess a net neutral charge, they display a characteristic charge distribution. Our results indicate that supramolecular amphiphilic peptide structures constitute a class of highly selective HCV entry inhibitors.

SUBMITTER: Montero A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3225806 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature