Susceptibility in vitro of Epstein-Barr Virus to myristoylated-peptide.

The anti-Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) myristoylated-peptide (M.W. 916.2Da) is a natural product isolated from Heliothis virescens insect larval hemolymph (blood) that essentially has no cytotoxicity against human foreskin fibroblast cells. A (3 methyl only) version (M.W. 902.2 Da) of the structure was synthesized and tested for in vitro anti-EBV activity and cytotoxicity. The N-terminal end is lipophilic and used to get the compound across the cell membrane. The C-terminal end with its ring-shaped structures is likely used to inhibit DNA synthesis. The synthetic compound inhibited DNA synthesis/replication of EBV in Akata cells (B-lymphocyte from Burkitt's lymphoma patient) in in vitro tissue culture. A DNA hybridization assay for anti-EBV activity using the Akata B-cell and two cytotoxicity assays using human foreskin fibroblast cells were done with the synthetic peptide. Effective concentration (EC90) at 20 microM inhibited viral replication by 90%. The EBV, known as Human Herpesvirus-4 (HHV-4) of the Herpesviridae family, has been described as a cancer-promoting double-stranded DNA virus that may also be involved in autoimmune disease. There are no antiviral drugs in clinical use for diseases caused by the EBV.