Analysis of antiviral drug properties of thymidine kinase of herpes B virus using recombinant herpes simplex virus 1

• Published in: Microbiology spectrum 2024-01, Vol.12 (1), p.e0309123-e0309123
• Main Authors: Nguyen, Phu Hoang Anh, Fukushi, Shuetsu, Yamada, Souichi, Harada, Shizuko, Yoshikawa, Tomoki, Kinoshita, Hitomi, Kawahara, Madoka, Ogawa, Takuma, Ebihara, Hideki, Moi, Meng Ling, Saijo, Masayuki
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: acyclovir; Acyclovir - pharmacology; Acyclovir - therapeutic use; acyclovir resistant; Antiviral Agents - pharmacology; Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use; B virus; ganciclovir; Ganciclovir - pharmacology; ganciclovir resistant; Herpes Simplex - drug therapy; herpes simplex virus 1; Herpesvirus 1, Cercopithecine; Herpesvirus 1, Human - genetics; Humans; Research Article; Thymidine Kinase - genetics; Thymidine Kinase - therapeutic use; Virology
• ISSN: 2165-0497; 2165-0497
• DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03091-23

Zoonotic infection of humans with herpes B virus (BV) causes severe neurological diseases. Acyclovir (ACV) and ganciclovir (GCV), most frequently used as anti-herpes drugs, are recommended for prophylaxis and therapy in human BV infection. In this study, we examined the property of BV thymidine kinase (TK) against anti-herpes drugs using a recombinant herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) carrying BV TK gene. We found that HSV-1 carrying BV TK was similarly sensitive to GCV as HSV-1 carrying varicella zoster virus TK. In addition, we demonstrated that BV TK was not mutated in the GCV- and ACV-resistant HSV-1 carrying BV TK, suggesting that ACV- or GCV-resistant BV might be rare during treatment with these antiviral drugs. These data can provide a new insight into the properties of BV TK in terms of the development of drug resistance.