Analysis of molecular mechanisms of new anti-virus drug against human cytomegalovirus infectious diseases

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24591492
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Infectious disease medicine
• Research Institution: Hokuriku University
• Principal Investigator: MURAYAMA Tsugiya 北陸大学, 薬学部, 教授 (60159184)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SADARARI Hidetaka 北陸大学, 教育能力開発センター, 助教 (60121274)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): EIZURU Yoshito 鹿児島大学, 医学部, 名誉教授 (00041351)
• Research Collaborator: YAMADA Rie 北陸大学, 薬学部, 助手
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: サイトメガロウイルス / トリシン / 抗ウイルス薬 / ケモカイン / STAT3

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It has been reported that treatment with tricin (4’,5,7-trihydroxy-3’,5’-dimethoxyflavone), a material in the rice family plants, after human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection significantly suppressed infectious virus production in the human embryonic fibroblast cell line (HEL). In this paper, we examined the mechanisms for the anti-HCMV activities of tricin in HEL cells. Exposure of fibroblasts to tricin inhibited infectious HCMV production, with concomitant decreases in levels of transcripts of the CXC chemokine (CXCL11) and CC chemokine (CCL2) genes. We also found that the transcripts of the HCMV immediate early (IE) gene and replication of HCMV were lower in CXCL11 and/or CCL2 gene-knockdown cells. These results suggest that tricin is a novel compound with potential anti-HCMV activity and that CXCL11 and/or CCL2 are one of the chemokines involved in HCMV replication. In addition, it is possible that CXCL11 and/or CCL2 are the one of the targets of tricin.

Free Research Field

ウイルス学