ABSTRACT
The rhamnolipid biosurfactant PS-17 and its complex with the polysaccharide alginate, both produced by the Pseudomonas sp. S-17 strain, were studied for their antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 and 2. They significantly inhibited the herpesvirus cytopathic effect (CPE) in the Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cell line. The investigations were carried out according to the CPE inhibition assay protocol. The suppressive effect of the compounds on HSV replication was dose-dependent and occurred at concentrations lower than the critical micelle concentration of the surfactant. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of rhamnolipid PS-17 was 14.5 microg/ml against HSV-1 and 13 microg/ml against HSV-2. The IC50 values of the complex were 435 microg/ml for HSV-1 and 482 microg/ml for HSV-2. The inhibitory effects of the substances were confirmed by measuring the infectious virus yields with the multicycle virus growth experimental design as well: deltalog CCID50 of 1.84-2.0 against the two types of herpes simplex viruses by rhamnolipid PS-17 (20 microg/ml), and a strong reduction of the HSV-2 virus yield under the effect of the alginate complex at a concentration of 450 microg/ml. The results indicate that rhamnolipid PS-17 and its alginate complex may be considered as promising substances for the development of anti-herpetic compounds.
Subject(s)
Alginates/chemistry , Antiviral Agents/isolation & purification , Glycolipids/chemistry , Glycolipids/isolation & purification , Pseudomonas/chemistry , Simplexvirus/drug effects , Animals , Antiviral Agents/pharmacology , Cattle , Cell Line , Glycolipids/pharmacology , Kidney/virology , Pseudomonas/virologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN) is seen in certain regions of the Balkan Peninsula. The patients are predisposed to epithelial cell tumors of the urinary tract. These tumors have not been genetically investigated so far. METHODS: We studied the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in three BEN-associated tumors at seven microsatellite loci at 3q21.3 - 3q27.3. Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) was also done and one of the tumors was investigated by 24-color FISH as well. RESULTS: LOH in locus D3S1299 (3q24) was established in one case. CGH showed genetic gains at 1q, 3q, 7p, 7q, 15q, and 19q in at least two of the three tumors. Genetic loss was found in one case at 4q. Most frequent aberrations detected by 24-color FISH were der(X), der(X)t(X;18), der(16), der(3)t(3;15) and der(12). CONCLUSION: The LOH suggests the presence of a new, so far unidentified tumor-suppressor gene at 3q24. In pTa BEN tumor CGH showed genome instability was extremely high. The 24-color FISH indicated highly complex chromosomal rearrangements. Chromosome 3 anomalies support our previous data on 3q24 - 3q26.3 association with BEN.
