Inhibition of cytomegalovirus infection and photothermolysis of infected cells using bioconjugated gold nanoparticles

• Published in: Scientific reports 2014-07, Vol.4 (1), p.5550, Article 5550
• Main Authors: DeRussy, Bernadette M., Aylward, Madeline A., Fan, Zhen, Ray, Paresh C., Tandon, Ritesh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 13; 13/1; 13/106; 13/109; 14/1; 14/10; 14/28; 14/63; 631/326/22/1295; 631/326/596/1553; 631/61/350/354; 9/10; Antibodies, Monoclonal - chemistry; Antiviral activity; Antiviral agents; Antiviral Agents - chemistry; Antiviral Agents - pharmacology; Cell culture; Cell Survival - drug effects; Cell Survival - radiation effects; Cells, Cultured; Cytomegalovirus; Cytomegalovirus - drug effects; Cytomegalovirus - immunology; Cytomegalovirus Infections - prevention & control; Cytotoxicity; Disease resistance; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Gold; Gold - chemistry; Health problems; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Infections; Life cycles; Metal Nanoparticles - chemistry; multidisciplinary; Nanoconjugates - chemistry; Nanoparticles; Neonates; Photosensitizing Agents - chemistry; Photosensitizing Agents - pharmacology; Science; Tissue Transplantation; Toxicity; Virus Internalization - drug effects
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/srep05550

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a herpesvirus that causes major health problems in neonates as well as in immunocompromised individuals 1 . At present, a vaccine is not available for CMV infection and the available antiviral drugs suffer from toxicity, poor efficacy and resistance 1 , 2 . Here, we chemically conjugated a monoclonal antibody raised against CMV surface glycoprotein (gB) with gold nanoparticles (GNP) and characterized the potential of this gB-GNP conjugate for antiviral activity against CMV. The gB-GNP blocks viral replication, virus-induced cytopathogenic effects and virus spread in cell culture without inducing cytotoxicity. High concentrations of gB-GNP that coat the surface of virus particles block virus entry, whereas lower concentrations block a later stage of virus life cycle. Also, cells treated with gB-GNP gain resistance to CMV infection. In addition, infected cells when bound to gB-GNP can be selectively lysed after exposing them to specific wavelength of laser (nanophotothermolysis). Thus, we have not only designed a potential antiviral strategy that specifically blocks CMV infection at multiple stages of virus life cycle, but we have also characterized a technique that can potentially be useful in eliminating CMV infected cells from donor tissue during transplant or transfusion.