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Influence of amphipathic peptides on the HIV‐1 production in persistently infected T lymphoma cells
Author(s) -
Wachinger Michael,
Saermark Torben,
Erfle Volker
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/0014-5793(92)80780-k
Subject(s) - melittin , peptide , amphiphile , infectivity , intracellular , blot , biochemistry , chemistry , amino acid , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , virus , virology , organic chemistry , copolymer , polymer , gene
The effects of several amphipathic peptides on HIV‐1 production in persistently infected cells are described. Melittin, a 26 amino acid α‐helical amphipathic peptide, reduces HIV‐1 production dose‐dependently, whereas other amphipathic peptides do not. Six melittin derivatives which retain the α‐helical portion have similar effects as melittin. The reduction of viral infectivity is not due to an effect of melittin on the virus particles but to an intracellular action of the peptide, which is readily taken up into cells, as shown by quantitative ELISA, Western blots of cells from melittin‐treated cultures suggest that the processing of the gag/pol precursor is impaired.