Target Organism: Ebola virus [EBOV]
Inhibition Concentration: IC50 ~ 3 microM
Target Component (Binding Target): Glycoprotein (GP).
Target Process: Viral entry.
Mechanism of Action (MoA): The engineered peptide 17BI effectively inhibits Ebola virus infection by targeting the endosomal entry step and disrupting cathepsin B-mediated processing of the viral glycoprotein. Along with 17BI, the D-amino acid-containing peptide GI-20d showed greater efficacy in blocking Ebola virus compared to the parent peptide LL-37 and its derivatives. These peptides were designed for enhanced biostability, making them resistant to intracellular enzymatic degradation. The study underscores the potential of engineered antimicrobial peptides like 17BI as a novel class of anti-Ebola therapeutics.
Hemolytic Activity: Not available
Toxicity: The engineered peptide 17BI, along with other peptides, displayed lower IC50 concentrations in HeLa cells compared to macrophages. This suggests that the peptides were more toxic to HeLa cells than macrophages. Peptide GI-20d showed the most favorable therapeutic window in both HeLa cells and primary macrophages, with an IC50 of 0.99 mM in HeLa cells and 2.2 mM in macrophages. Peptide 17BI also exhibited a favorable therapeutic window, with an IC50 of 0.71 mM in HeLa cells and 5.6 mM in macrophages. The study also reported TC50 values for the peptides, indicating their cytotoxicity in both cell types.