The human cathelicidin LL-37 has antiviral activity against respiratory syncytial virus

• Published in: PloS one 2013-08, Vol.8 (8), p.e73659-e73659
• Main Authors: Currie, Silke M, Findlay, Emily Gwyer, McHugh, Brian J, Mackellar, Annie, Man, Tian, Macmillan, Derek, Wang, Hongwei, Fitch, Paul M, Schwarze, Jürgen, Davidson, Donald J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides - chemistry; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides - pharmacology; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides - therapeutic use; Antiviral activity; Antiviral Agents - chemistry; Antiviral Agents - pharmacology; Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use; Bacterial infections; Cathelicidins; Cell death; Cell Death - drug effects; Cell Line; Cytoprotection - drug effects; Epithelial cells; Epithelial Cells - drug effects; Epithelial Cells - pathology; Epithelial Cells - virology; Geriatrics; Humans; Infants; Infections; Inflammation; Interferon Type I - biosynthesis; Lungs; Medical research; Medical treatment; Molecular Sequence Data; Neutrophils; Older people; Peptide Fragments - pharmacology; Peptides; Respiratory syncytial virus; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections - drug therapy; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections - virology; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses - drug effects; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses - physiology; Respiratory tract; Virion - drug effects; Virion - metabolism; Viruses; Vitamin D; Vitamin deficiency
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0073659

Respiratory syncytial virus is a leading cause of lower respiratory tract illness among infants, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Currently, there is no effective vaccine or disease modifying treatment available and novel interventions are urgently required. Cathelicidins are cationic host defence peptides expressed in the inflamed lung, with key roles in innate host defence against infection. We demonstrate that the human cathelicidin LL-37 has effective antiviral activity against RSV in vitro, retained by a truncated central peptide fragment. LL-37 prevented virus-induced cell death in epithelial cultures, significantly inhibited the production of new infectious particles and diminished the spread of infection, with antiviral effects directed both against the viral particles and the epithelial cells. LL-37 may represent an important targetable component of innate host defence against RSV infection. Prophylactic modulation of LL-37 expression and/or use of synthetic analogues post-infection may represent future novel strategies against RSV infection.