Chromium(III) and iron(III) inhibits replication of DNA and RNA viruses

Sylwia Terpiłowska,Andrzej Krzysztof Siwicki

doi:10.1007/s10534-017-0027-9

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of treating of chromium(III) and iron(III) and their combinations on Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) and Bovine Viral Diarrhoea virus (BVDV) replication. The antiviral efficacies of chromium(III) and iron(III) on HSV-1 and BVDV were evaluated using Real Time PCR method. Moreover, the cytotoxicity of these microelements was examined using the MTT reduction assay. The IC50 (50% inhibiotory concentration) for the chromium chloride was 1100 μM for Hep-2 cells and 1400 μM for BT cells. The IC50 for the iron chloride was 1200 μM for Hep-2 cells and more than1400 μM for BT cells. The concentration-dependent antiviral activity of chromium chloride and iron chloride against HSV-1 and BVDV viruses was observed. In cultures simultaneously treated with (1) 200 μM of CrCl3 and 1000 μM of FeCl3, (2) 1000 μM of CrCl3 and 200 μM of FeCl3, (3) 400 μM of CrCl3 and 800 μM of FeCl3, (4) 800 μM of CrCl3 and 400 μM of FeCl3 a decrease in number of DNA or RNA copies was observed compared with control cells and cells incubated with chromium(III) and iron(III) used separately. The synergistic antiviral effects were observed for chromium(III) and iron(III) against HSV-1 and BVDV.

Highlights

The herpesviruses comprise a very large group of animal viruses, each one of which is usually specialized in nature to infect a particular species of mammal, marsupial, fish, bird, reptile, amphibian or even bivalve
In order to determine the efficacy of chromium(III) and iron(III) against HSV1 in vitro, we first analyzed its cytotoxicity on cultured HEp-2 cells
To determine the efficacy of chromium(III) and iron(III) against Bovine Viral Diarrhoea virus (BVDV) in vitro, we first analyzed its cytotoxicity on cultured BT cells

Summary

Introduction

The herpesviruses comprise a very large group of animal viruses, each one of which is usually specialized in nature to infect a particular species of mammal, marsupial, fish, bird, reptile, amphibian or even bivalve. All the studied herpesviruses share the three following characteristics: (1) typical morphology, (2) possession of a large genome consisting of single molecule of double stranded DNA ranging in size between 120 and 259 kbp, (3) the ability to follow productive infection to produce disease, as well as enter a latent phase in some cells of the infected natural host. This latent phase ensures survival of the viral genome throughout the lifetime of the particular infected individual and the ability to reenter the productive phase from time to time (Subak-Sharpe and Darga 1998). In immunocompromised individuals, ACV-resistant HSV-1 strains often arise (He and Tam 2010)

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