Alleviation of respiratory syncytial virus replication and inflammation by fungal immunomodulatory protein FIP-fve from Flammulina velutipes

• Published in: Antiviral research 2014-10, Vol.110, p.124-131
• Main Authors: CHANG, Yu-Chi, CHOW, Yen-Hung, SUN, Hai-Lun, LIU, Yu-Fan, LEE, Yu-Tzu, LUE, Ko-Huang, KO, Jiunn-Liang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Antiviral agents; Biological and medical sciences; Bronchiolitis, Viral - immunology; Bronchiolitis, Viral - prevention & control; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid - immunology; Cell Line; Female; Flammulina velutipes; Fungal Proteins - immunology; Fungal Proteins - pharmacology; Human viral diseases; Humans; Immunomodulation - drug effects; Infectious diseases; Inflammation - drug therapy; Inflammation - immunology; Interferons - metabolism; Interleukin-6 - metabolism; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; NF-kappa B - metabolism; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Protein Transport - drug effects; Respiratory Hypersensitivity - immunology; Respiratory Hypersensitivity - prevention & control; Respiratory Hypersensitivity - virology; Respiratory syncytial virus; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections - drug therapy; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections - immunology; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses - growth & development; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses - immunology; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the respiratory system and ent viral diseases; Virus Replication - drug effects
• ISSN: 0166-3542; 1872-9096
• DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2014.08.006

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes bronchiolitis in children followed by inflammation and asthma-like symptoms. The development of preventive therapy for this virus continues to pose a challenge. Fungal immunomodulatory proteins (FIPs) exhibit anti-inflammatory function. FIP-fve is an immunomodulatory protein isolated from Flammulina velutipes. To determine whether FIP-fve affects the infection or consequence of immunity of RSV, we investigated viral titers of RSV and inflammatory cytokine levels in vivo and in vitro. Oral FIP-fve decreased RSV-induced airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), airway inflammation, and IL-6 expression in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of BALB/c mice. RSV replication and interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels in RSV-infected HEp-2 cells were compared before and after FIP-fve treatment. FIP-fve inhibited viral titers on plaque assay and Western blot, as well as inhibited RSV-stimulated expression of IL-6 on ELISA and RT-PCR. The results of this study suggested that FIP-fve decreases RSV replication, RSV-induced inflammation and respiratory pathogenesis. FIP-fve is a widely used, natural compound from F.velutipes that may be a safe agent for viral prevention and even therapy.