Optimized dengue virus entry inhibitory peptide (DN81)
The invention relates peptide entry inhibitors and methods of determining such inhibitors that are bindable to regions of viruses having class II E proteins, such as the dengue virus E protein, as candidates for in vivo anti-viral compounds.
1. A synthetic peptide comprising: an amino acid sequence presented as SEQ ID NO: 1.
2. The peptide of claim 1 , wherein the peptide inhibits a class II viral envelope protein.
3. The peptide of claim 2 , wherein the class II envelope protein is a dengue virus E protein.
4. The peptide of claim 1 , wherein the peptide inhibits dengue virus virion:cell fusion.
5. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the peptide of claim 1 .
6. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 5 , further comprising a biocompatible carrier.
7. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 6 , wherein the biocompatible carrier is selected from the group consisting of saline, buffered saline, dextrose and water.
8. A method of treating dengue virus infection in a subject comprising the steps of: administering a therapeutically effective amount of the peptide comprising the amino acid sequence presented as SEQ ID NO: 1 to a subject in need thereof.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the peptide inhibits dengue virus virion:cell fusion.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the peptide is administered intradermally, intramuscularly, intraperitoneally, intravenously, subcutaneously, orally or intranasally.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the peptide is conjugated to a carrier molecule.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the carrier molecule is human serum albumin (HSA).
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the peptide is administered to a mammal.