IN-VITRO ANTI-JUNIN VIRUS ACTIVITY OF A PEPTIDE ISOLATED FROM MELIA AZEDARACH L. LEAVES

Meliacine, a peptide isolated from leaves of Melin azedarach L. inhibi ted the multiplication of Junin virus in Vero cells treated with the c ompound before infection (pre-treatment) or immediately after virus ad sorption. Analysis of early events following infection demonstrated th at meliacine blocks virus penetration by preventing the uncoating step . The addition of meliacine at different times after infection indicat ed that meliacine also interferes with the release of infectious parti cles to the extracellular medium and inhibits the low-pH-induced fusio n of infected cells. Intracellular transport of viral glycoproteins to the cell membrane was not affected by meliacine, as revealed by immun ofluorescence staining. Taken together, these results suggest that mel iacine affects two events of the virus replicative cycle that require membrane fusion: uncoating and budding. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. /International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.