Inhibitory Effect of Extracts of Brazilian Marine Algae on Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 (HTLV-1)-Induced Syncytium Formation In Vitro

Abstract

Extracts from four species of Brazilian marine algae collected from the Rio de Janeiro State coast were screened to determine the inhibitory effect on HTLV-1-induced syncytium formation. Before performing the syncytium inhibition assay the 50% cytotoxic dose (CyD50) of the algal extracts was evaluated. The antiviral test was carried out in HeLa cells co-cultured with HTLV-I infected T-cell line (C91/PL cells) in the presence of marine algal extracts in the concentration inferior to that corresponding to the CyD50. It was observed that co-cultured cells exposed to Ulva fasciata extract showed 60.2% syncytium inhibition at a concentration of 2.5%. At 5% concentration, Sargassum vulgare and Vidalia obtusiloba extracts presented 78.8 and 76% syncytium inhibition, respectively. The best inhibitory activity was observed with Laminaria abyssalis that presented 100% syncytium inhibition at a concentration of 2.5%. This work shows that extracts of marine algae, mainly L. abyssalis extract, are able to inhibit the cell-to-cell contact essential for the spreading of the virus and could be useful to prevent the infection.