Abstract
Background: Over 60% of the United States population is infected with herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). Current HSV-1 treatment regimens exert their antiviral effects through a common mechanism of action and suffer from high dosing frequencies, which may contribute to patient noncompliance and the subsequent development of antiviral resistance. Although primarily known for their functions in maintaining homeostatic control of arterial blood and osmotic pressures, components of the Renin-Angiotensin Aldosterone System (RAAS) have been implicated in viral replication and some components demonstrated antiviral properties. However, the antiviral properties of RAAS components have not been well characterized in reference to HSV-1. Methods: To address this gap in knowledge, we evaluated the antiviral effects of captopril, an Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 1 (ACE-1) inhibitor, on HSV-1 infection in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. We demonstrated that captopril attenuates HSV-1-induced cytopathic effects (CPE) via cell-based and morphological assays. To investigate the potential mechanism, we conducted molecular modeling studies and identified the ability of captopril to interact with and bind HSV-1 glycoprotein D. To determine where in the virus life cycle captopril exerts its protective effects, we performed experiments observing the effect of captopril on both viral entry and replication utilizing a green fluorescent protein-tagged virus and subsequent quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction. Results: Results suggest captopril protects cells from HSV-1-induced CPE through its effect on viral replication by increasing cell viability in infected cells and decreasing virus replication, which we propose is modulated through the decreased expression of ICP0. Conclusions: Collectively, the results presented here support further evaluation of captopril, and other RAAS components, as a basis for potential novel therapeutic interventions for the treatment of HSV-1, its associated pathologies, and potentially other virus infections.
Highlights
Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is a neurotropic virus that infects over 60% of the United States population and 90% globally1
We have demonstrated that the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 1 (ACE-1) inhibitor captopril attenuates cytopathic effects (CPE) in herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1)-infected SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells
The concentration response data in uninfected SH-SY5Y cells demonstrated that captopril (Figure 1) did not impact cell viability as viability remained approximately 100%
Summary
Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is a neurotropic virus that infects over 60% of the United States population and 90% globally. Current therapeutic targets have major limitations, such as the requirement for an active infection, high dosing frequencies, and the development of antiviral resistance. Targeting a common mechanism of action contributes significantly to the development of antiviral resistance, an emerging problem for treating HSV-1 and other virus infections. The mainstay of treatment for HSV-1 infection, consists of a synthetic nucleoside analogue that targets viral DNA polymerase and functions by inhibiting viral replication due to its affinity for viral thymidine kinase. Current HSV-1 treatment regimens exert their antiviral effects through a common mechanism of action and suffer from high dosing frequencies, which may contribute to patient noncompliance and the subsequent development of antiviral resistance. Results: Results suggest captopril protects cells from HSV-1-induced CPE through its effect on viral replication by increasing cell viability in infected cells and decreasing virus replication, which we propose is Invited Reviewers version 1
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
