Allicin and Glycyrrhizic Acid Display Antiviral Activity Against Latent and Lytic Kaposi Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus

Abstract

Abstract. Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) triggers the development of Kaposi sarcoma, a skin malignancy that is one of the most widespread defining symptoms in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients. KSHV manifests in two distinct cycles, a chronic latent cycle and an acute lytic cycle. Current clinical anti-herpesvirus therapeutic agents are predominantly composed of nucleoside analogues that target viral replication in the lytic cycle only, while KSHV latent genes are at the basis tumorigenesis. Currently, there are no effective therapies targeting latent KSHV infections. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify putative therapeutic compounds with inhibitory activity against latent KSHV. The KSHV-infected primary effusion lymphoma cell line BC-3 was used to study antiviral activity of glycyrrhizic acid (GA), Allicin, and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) against latent and lytic KSHV. Activity of GA, Allicin, EGCG, and the established anti-lytic cycle control compound ganciclovir was quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction of nuclear and virion KSHV DNA yields after treatment compared with the untreated control. GA and Allicin showed antiviral activity against both latent and lytic KSHV, while EGCG displayed activity against lytic KSHV only. Therefore, GA and Allicin are interesting compounds for further development of anti-KSHV therapy against latent cycle infections.