Key result
Dimers of MV-specific peptides conjugated to cholesterol efficiently protected SLAM transgenic mice from fatal measles virus infection.
Why the study?
Do cholesterol-conjugated MV-specific peptide dimers prevent fatal MV infection in SLAM transgenic mice?
Do cholesterol-conjugated MV-specific peptide dimers prevent fatal MV infection in SLAM transgenic mice?
Brain-penetrant fusion inhibitors protect against fatal measles virus infection in a preclinical model, highlighting their potential for treating severe neurological complications.
May inform measles antiviral development; leaves open translation from transgenic mice to humans.
Measles virus (MV) infection causes an acute childhood disease that can include infection of the central nervous system and can rarely progress to severe neurological disease for which there is no specific treatment. We generated potent antiviral peptide inhibitors of MV entry and spreading and MV-induced cell fusion. Dimers of MV-specific peptides derived from the C-terminal heptad repeat region of the MV fusion protein, conjugated to cholesterol, efficiently protect SLAM transgenic mice from fatal MV infection. Fusion inhibitors hold promise for the prophylaxis of MV infection in unvaccinated and immunocompromised people, as well as potential for the treatment of grave neurological complications of measles.
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Welsch et al. (2013) studied Measles virus infection. Dimers of MV-specific peptides conjugated to cholesterol (fusion inhibitors) was evaluated on Fatal MV infection. Dimers of MV-specific peptides conjugated to cholesterol efficiently protected SLAM transgenic mice from fatal measles virus infection.
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