Abstract
With an estimated 3–5 million infections and as many as 500,000 deaths from the complications of influenza infections each year, there is a critical need to identify novel drug classes and structures that can be exploited for antiviral development. A bioassay-guided fractionation of extracts from the red marine algae Gigartina skottsbergii, collected near Anvers Island, Antarctica, has yielded fractions that significantly inhibited the replication of influenza viruses A/Wyoming/3/2003 (H3N2) and A/WSN/1933 in vitro with an IC50 value of 4–8 μg/mL. The antiviral effect was dose dependent, strain specific, and selective as the virus-induced cytopathogenic effect (CPE) was reduced at nontoxic concentrations of the extract. SDS-gel electrophoresis and sequencing of the active fraction suggested homology with lectins. Insight into the mechanism of action via hemagglutination and plaque assay indicates that the antiviral effect occurs early during viral infection by interfering with virus-receptor interactions. This study suggests that activity from current over-the-counter anti-influenza vitamin supplements prepared from the same algal species may not completely arise from the previously reported antiviral sulfated polysaccharides.
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Acknowledgments
The assistance of Rachelle Price, who conducted the hemagglutination assays reported here, is gratefully acknowledged. Funding in support of this work was received from FCOE-BITT (GALS-006 to AvO and BJB) and the Office of Polar Programs of the National Science Foundation (OPP-0442769 to CDA and JBM, OPP-0442857 to BJB). Field work was facilitated by the staff of the Antarctic Support Services of the Office of Polar Programs and Raytheon Polar Services.
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Maschek, J.A., Bucher, C.J., van Olphen, A., Amsler, C.D., McClintock, J.B., Baker, B.J. (2011). The Pursuit of Potent Anti-influenza Activity from the Antarctic Red Marine Alga Gigartina skottsbergii . In: Gang, D. (eds) The Biological Activity of Phytochemicals. Recent Advances in Phytochemistry, vol 41. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7299-6_1
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