Antiviral research

Project leader(s)   Tore J. Gutteberg

Co-workers / Project staff
Project partner to be: Ugo Moens
Person to get more information from: Tore J. Gutteberg

Main Objects:
Virus entry inhibition of HIV, Herpes simplex 1 & 2 and HCMV.

Project outline
Our research has been focused on virus entry inhibition of HIV, Herpes simplex 1 & 2 and HCMV. Probably will the mechanism we have studied prevent other sexually transmitted disease (STD) agents like Chlamydia trachomatis, and human papillomavirus (HPV). Cationic proteins from milk (lactoferrin) and cationic peptides derived from milk, lactoferricin, have these properties of blocking virus entry into the cells. These mechanisms may be used in the future development of microbicides. Our methods have been in situ ELISA, plaque assay, hybridization and different kinds of amplifications of DNA methods like nested , SYBR green and probe real time PCR. Together with Professor Ugo Moens we are presently redefining our aims to strengthen a more molecular approach in our antiviral research.

Collaborators / Partners
Partners in Tromsø:
The Marbio family of groups (Trond Jørgensen, Geir Bjørkøy, Nils-Peder Willassen, Bjarne Østerud, Lars Vorland, Hanne Husom Haukland, Olaf Styrvold, Klara Stensvåg, Øystein Rekdal, Jon Sigurd Svendsen, Jeanette H. Andersen).

In Norway: Lars Haarr (HSV), Bergen, Halvor Rollag (HCMV), Oslo, Birgitta Åsjø (HIV), Bergen.
Outside Norway: Kenneth Thompson (HSV&HCMV&HIV), Chicago, Hans Vogel (lactofericin H), Calgary, Bob Hancock (peptides), Vancouver, Stephen Spector (HIV&HCMV), La Jolla. Hans Bergström ( HSV), Sweden.

Funding
UNN

Publications
Viani R, GuttebergTJ, Lathey J, Spector SA. Lactoferrin prevents human immunodeficiency virus type 1 replication in vitro and exhibits synergy when combined with zidovudine. AIDS 1999; 13: 1273-4.

Jeanette Hammer Andersen, Svein Are Osbakk, Lars Harry Vorland, Terje Traavik , Tore Jarl Gutteberg. Lactoferrin and cyclic lactoferricin inhibit the entry of human cytomegalovirus into human fibroblasts. Antiviral Research 2001; 51: 141 – 149.

Jeanette Hammer Andersen, Håvard Jenssen and Tore Jarl Gutteberg. Lactoferrin and Lactoferricin inhibit Herpes simplex 1 and 2 infection and exhibit synergy when combined with acyclovir. Antiviral Research 2003; 58: 209-215.

Håvard Jenssen, Jeanette Hammer Andersen, Lars Uhlin-Hansen , Tore Jarl Gutteberg and Øystein Rekdal. Antiviral activity of lactoferricin analogues is partially related to their affinity for heparan sulfate. Antiviral Res. 2004 ;61:101-9.

Jeanette H. Andersen, Håvard Jenssen, Kjersti Sandvik and Tore J. Gutteberg. The anti-HSV activity of lactoferrin and lactoferricin is dependent on the presence of heparan sulfate at the cell surface. J Med Virol. 2004; 74: 262-71.

Håvard Jenssen, Jeanette H. Andersen, Dimitris Mantzilas,Tore J. Gutteberg. A wide range of medium sized, highly cationic, a-helical peptides show antiviral activity against herpes Simplex virus.Antiviral Res. 2004;64:119-126.

Håvard Jenssen, Tore J. Gutteberg, Tore Lejon. Modeling the anti-HSV activity of small, cationic peptides using amino acid descriptors. J Pept Sci. 2005; 11:97-103.


Abstracts
Håvard Jenssen, Kjersti Sandvik, Thomas Laupstad, Tore Jarl Gutteberg. Cellular localization and heparan sulfate affinity of apo-lactoferrin and iron saturated lactoferin in respect to their antiviral activity against HSV. 29th International Herpes work shop, Reno 2004.2.

Håvard Jenssen, Tore Jarl Gutteberg, Tore Leijon. Modeling of anti-HSV activity of lactoferricin analogues using amino acid descriptors. The 15th European Symposium on Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships, Istanbul 2004.