Giugliano Rosa, Zannella Carla, Della Marca Roberta, Chianese Annalisa, Di Clemente Laura, Monti Alessandra, Doti Nunzianna, Cacioppo Federica, Iovane Valentina, Montagnaro Serena, De Grazia Simona, Galdiero Massimiliano, De Filippis Anna
Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Naples, Italy.
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, 80137 Naples, Italy.
Pathogens. 2025 Jul 19;14(7):713. doi: 10.3390/pathogens14070713.
Toscana virus (TOSV) and Schmallenberg virus (SBV) are arthropod-borne viruses from the class, posing significant human and animal health threats. TOSV, endemic to the Mediterranean region, is a notable human pathogen detected in various animals, suggesting potential zoonotic reservoirs. SBV emerged in Europe in 2011, affecting ruminants and causing reproductive issues, with substantial economic implications. The rapid spread of both viruses underscores the need for novel antiviral strategies. Host defense peptides (HDPs), particularly those derived from scorpion venom, are gaining attention for their antiviral potential. This study investigated pantinin-1 and pantinin-2 for their inhibitory activity against TOSV and SBV by plaque reduction assay, tissue culture infective dose (TCID) determination, and the analysis of gene expression via qPCR. Both peptides exhibited potent virucidal activity, with IC values of approximately 10 µM, depending on the specific in vitro cell model used. Additionally, the selectivity index (SI) values were favorable across all virus/cell line combinations, with particularly optimal results observed for pantinin-2. In human U87-MG neuronal cells, both peptides effectively blocked TOSV infection, a critical finding given the virus's association with neurological conditions like encephalitis. The strong efficacy of these peptides against these viruses underscores the broader applicability of venom-derived peptides as promising antiviral agents, particularly in the context of emerging viral pathogens and increasing resistance to conventional therapeutics. Further studies are needed to optimize their antiviral potency and to assess their safety in vivo using animal models.
托斯卡纳病毒（TOSV）和施马伦贝格病毒（SBV）是该类节肢动物传播的病毒，对人类和动物健康构成重大威胁。TOSV在地中海地区流行，是在多种动物中检测到的一种重要人类病原体，提示存在潜在的人畜共患病宿主。SBV于2011年在欧洲出现，影响反刍动物并导致生殖问题，具有重大经济影响。这两种病毒的迅速传播凸显了新型抗病毒策略的必要性。宿主防御肽（HDPs），特别是那些源自蝎毒的肽，因其抗病毒潜力而受到关注。本研究通过蚀斑减少试验、组织培养感染剂量（TCID）测定以及通过qPCR分析基因表达，研究了泛宁-1和泛宁-2对TOSV和SBV的抑制活性。两种肽均表现出强大的杀病毒活性，IC值约为10 µM，具体取决于所使用的特定体外细胞模型。此外，在所有病毒/细胞系组合中，选择性指数（SI）值都很理想，泛宁-2的结果尤为最佳。在人U87-MG神经细胞中，两种肽均有效阻断TOSV感染，鉴于该病毒与脑炎等神经系统疾病的关联，这是一个关键发现。这些肽对这些病毒的强大疗效凸显了源自毒液的肽作为有前景的抗病毒剂的更广泛适用性，特别是在新兴病毒病原体和对传统疗法耐药性增加的背景下。需要进一步研究以优化它们的抗病毒效力，并使用动物模型评估它们在体内的安全性。
