Science and Research

The Human Antimicrobial Protein Bactericidal/Permeability-Increasing Protein (BPI) Inhibits the Infectivity of Influenza A Virus

In addition to their well-known antibacterial activity some antimicrobial peptides and proteins (AMPs) display also antiviral effects. A 27 aa peptide from the N-terminal part of human bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI) previously shown to harbour antibacterial activity inhibits the infectivity of multiple Influenza A virus strains (H1N1, H3N2 and H5N1) the causing agent of the Influenza pneumonia. In contrast, the homologous murine BPI-peptide did not show activity against Influenza A virus. In addition human BPI-peptide inhibits the activation of immune cells mediated by Influenza A virus. By changing the human BPI-peptide to the sequence of the mouse homologous peptide the antiviral activity was completely abolished. Furthermore, the human BPI-peptide also inhibited the pathogenicity of the Vesicular Stomatitis Virus but failed to interfere with HIV and measles virus. Electron microscopy indicate that the human BPI-peptide interferes with the virus envelope and at high concentrations was able to destroy the particles completely.

  • Pinkenburg, O.; Meyer, T.; Bannert, N.; Norley, S.; Bolte, K.; Czudai-Matwich, V.; Herold, S.; Gessner, A.; Schnare, M.
Publication details
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0156929
Journal: PloS one
Pages: e0156929 
Number: 6
Work Type: Original
Location: UGMLC
Disease Area: PALI
Partner / Member: JLU, UMR, RKI
Access-Number: 27273104
See publication on PubMed

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