Open AccessPoly-ó-Glutamic Acid from Bacillus Horneckiae Strain APA of Shallow Marine Vent Origin with Antiviral and Immunomodulatory Effects against Herpes Simplex Virus Type-2
Author(s) -
Annarita Poli,
Concetta Gugli,
olo,
Antonio Spanò,
Valentina Taurisano,
Paola Di Donato,
Teresa L. Maugeri,
Barbara Nicolaus,
Adriana Arena
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of marine science: research and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2155-9910
DOI - 10.4172/2155-9910.1000173
Subject(s) - herpes simplex virus , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , virology , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , immune system , virus , vero cell , immunity , immunology , in vitro , biochemistry
The shallow vents of the Eolian Islands (Italy) are sources of almost unexplored microorganisms able to produce\udbiomolecules with promising pharmaceutical applications. This work describes the characterization of an extracellular\udpoly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) from the new Bacillus horneckiae strain APA, and its antiviral and immunomodulatory\udeffects against Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). The γ-PGA-APA was able to hinder HSV-2 replication in human\udperipheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), involving the cell-mediated immunity. The exopolymer induced the\udexpression of high levels of Th1–type cytokines in PBMC, while it had no effects on Th2-type cytokines production.\udThis is the first report on a γ-PGA produced by a marine thermotolerant B. horneckiae strain with antiviral and\udimmunomodulator activities. As stimulator of Th1 cell-mediated immunity, this biopolymer could be potentially used\udin the treatment of immunocompromised hosts as well as in patients affected by herpes virus infections