Sulfated Small Molecules Targeting EBV in Burkitt Lymphoma: From In Silico Screening to the Evidence of In Vitro Effect on Viral Episomal DNA

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2013

Authors

Raquel T Lima (Author) Other; Hugo Seca (Author) Other; Andreia Palmeira (Author) Other; Miguel X Fernandes (Author) Other; Felipe Castro (Author) Other; Marta Correia da Silva (Author) FFUP; Maria S J Nascimento (Author) FFUP; Emilia Sousa (Author) FFUP; Madalena Pinto (Author) FFUP; Helena Vasconcelos, MH (Author) FFUP

Journal

Title: Chemical Biology and Drug Design

Vol. 81

Pages: 631-644

ISSN: 1747-0277

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Indexing

ISI Proceedings

ISI Web of Knowledge - 6 Citations

Scopus - 9 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Basic medicine

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-005-17D

DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.12109

Abstract (EN): EpsteinBarr virus (EBV) infects more than 90% of the world population. Following primary infection, EpsteinBarr virus persists in an asymptomatic latent state. Occasionally, it may switch to lytic infection. Latent EBV infection has been associated with several diseases, such as Burkitt lymphoma (BL). To date, there are no available drugs to target latent EBV, and the existing broad-spectrum antiviral drugs are mainly active against lytic viral infection. Thus, using computational molecular docking, a virtual screen of a library of small molecules, including xanthones and flavonoids (described with potential for antiviral activity against EBV), was carried out targeting EBV proteins. The more interesting molecules were selected for further computational analysis, and sub-sequently, the compounds were tested in the Raji (BL) cell line, to evaluate their activity against latent EBV. This work identified three novel sulfated small molecules capable of decreasing EBV levels in a BL. Therefore, the in silico screening presents a good approach for the development of new anti-EBV agents.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 14