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Details for Patent: 6,518,013

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Title:	Methods for the inhibition of epstein-barr virus transmission employing anti-viral peptides capable of abrogating viral fusion and transmission
Abstract:	Fusion of the viral envelope, or infected cell membranes with uninfected cell membranes, is an essential step in the viral life cycle. Recent studies involving the human immunodeficiency virus type 1(HIV-1) demonstrated that synthetic peptides (designated DP-107 and DP-178) derived from potential helical regions of the transmembrane (TM) protein, gp41, were potent inhibitors of viral fusion and infection. A computerized antiviral searching technology (C.A.S.T.) that detects related structural motifs (e.g., ALLMOTI 5, 107.times.178.times.4, and PLZIP) in other viral proteins was employed to identify similar regions in the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Several conserved heptad repeat domains that are predicted to form coiled-coil structures with antiviral activity were identified in the EBV genome. Synthetic peptides of 16 to 39 amino acids derived from these regions were prepared and their antiviral activities assessed in a suitable in vitro screening assay. These peptides proved to be potent inhibitors of EBV fusion. Based upon their structural and functional equivalence to the known HIV-1 inhibitors DP-107 and DP-178, these peptides should provide a novel approach to the development of targeted therapies for the treatment of EBV infections.
Inventor(s):	Barney; Shawn O'Lin (Cary, NC), Lambert; Dennis Michael (Cary, NC), Petteway; Stephen Robert (Cary, NC)
Assignee:	Trimeris, Inc. (Durham, NC)
Filing Date:	Jun 07, 1995
Application Number:	08/485,546
Claims:	1. A method for inhibiting transmission of an Epstein-Barr virus to a cell, comprising contacting said cell with an effective concentration of a peptide consisting of a region of 16 to 39 consecutive amino acids of an Epstein-Barr virus protein for an effective period of time, wherein: (a) said region is recognized by one or more of ALLMOTI5, 107.times.178.times.4 or PLZIP sequence search motifs; (b) said peptide further comprises an amino terminal X, and a carboxy terminal Z in which: X comprises an amino group, an acetyl group, a 9-fluorenylmethoxy-carbonyl group, a hydrophobic group, or a macromolecular carrier group; and Z comprises a carboxyl group. an amido group, a hydrophobic group, or a macromolecular carrier group; and (c) fusion of said virus to said cell is inhibited. 2. A method for inhibiting transmission of an Epstein-Barr virus to a cell, comprising contacting said cell with an effective concentration of a peptide for an effective period of time, wherein said peptide has the formula: X-SELEIKRYKNRVASRKCRAKFKQLLQHYREVAAAK-Z (SEQ ID NO:210); X-CRAKFKQLLQHYREVAAAKSSENDRLRLLLKQMCP-Z (SEQ ID NO:211); X-AKFKQLLQHYREVAAAKSSENDRLRLLLKQMCPSL-Z (SEQ ID NO:212); X-KQLLQHYREVAAAKSSENDRLRLLLKQMCPSLDVD-Z (SEQ ID NO:213); or X-QLLQHYREVAAAKSSENDRLRLLLKQMCPSLDVDS-Z (SEQ ID NO:214); in which: amino acid residues are presented by the single-letter code; X comprises an amino group, an acetyl group, a 9-fluorenylmethoxy-carbonyl group, a hydrophobic group, or a macromolecular carrier group; Z comprises a carboxyl group, an amido group, a hydrophobic group, or a macromolecular carrier group; and wherein fusion of said virus to said cell is inhibited. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the region of the Epstein-Barr virus protein is a region of 28 amino acid residues identified by the ALLMOTI5 motif. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the region of the Epstein-Barr virus protein is a region of 35 amino acid residues identified by the ALLMOTI5 motif. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the region of the Epstein-Barr virus protein is a region of 28 amino acid residues identified by the 107.times.178.times.4 motif. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the region of the Epstein-Barr virus protein is a region of 35 amino acid residues identified by the 107.times.178.times.4 motif. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the region of the Epstein-Barr virus protein is identified by a PLZIP motif. 8. The method of claim 2, wherein the peptide has the formula: X-SELEIKRYKNRVASRKCRAKFKQLLQHYREVAAAK-Z (SEQ ID NO:210). 9. The method of claim 2, wherein the peptide has the formula: X-CRAKFKQLLQHYREVAAAKSSENDRLRLLLKQMCP-Z (SEQ ID NO:211). 10. The method of claim 2, wherein the peptide has the formula: X-AKFKQLLQHYREVAAAKSSENDRLRLLLKQMCPSL-Z (SEQ ID NO:212). 11. The method of claim 2, wherein the peptide has the formula: X-KQLLQHYREVAAAKSSENDRLRLLLKQMCPSLDVD-Z (SEQ ID NO:213). 12. The method of claim 2, wherein the peptide has the formula: X-QLLQHYREVAAAKSSENDRLRLLLKQMCPSLDVDS-Z (SEQ ID NO:214). 13. The method of claim 1 wherein X is an acetyl group. 14. The method of claim 1 wherein Z is an amido group. 15. The method of claim 1 wherein X is an acetyl group; and Z is an amido group. 16. The method of claim 1 wherein X is a macromolecular carrier group. 17. The method of claim 16 wherein the macromolecular carrier group X is a peptide group. 18. The method of claim 1 wherein Z is a macromolecular carrier group. 19. The method of claim 18 wherein the macromolecular carrier group Z is a peptide group. 20. The method of claim 2 wherein X is an acetyl group. 21. Thc method of claim 2 wherein Z is an amido group. 22. The method of claim 2 wherein X is an acetyl group; and Z is an amido group.