Matrine displayed antiviral activity in porcine alveolar macrophages co-infected by porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and porcine circovirus type 2

Sci Rep. 2016 Apr 15:6:24401. doi: 10.1038/srep24401.

Abstract

The co-infection of porcine reproductive respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is quite common in clinical settings and no effective treatment to the co-infection is available. In this study, we established the porcine alveolar macrophages (PAM) cells model co-infected with PRRSV/PCV2 with modification in vitro, and investigated the antiviral activity of Matrine on this cell model and further evaluated the effect of Matrine on virus-induced TLR3,4/NF-κB/TNF-α pathway. The results demonstrated PAM cells inoculated with PRRSV followed by PCV2 2 h later enhanced PRRSV and PCV2 replications. Matrine treatment suppressed both PRRSV and PCV2 infection at 12 h post infection. Furthermore, PRRSV/PCV2 co- infection induced IκBα degradation and phosphorylation as well as the translocation of NF-κB from the cytoplasm to the nucleus indicating that PRRSV/PCV2 co-infection induced NF-κB activation. Matrine treatment significantly down-regulated the expression of TLR3, TLR4 and TNF-α although it, to some extent, suppressed p-IκBα expression, suggesting that TLR3,4/NF-κB/TNF-α pathway play an important role of Matrine in combating PRRSV/PCV2 co-infection. It is concluded that Matrine possesses activity against PRRSV/PCV2 co-infection in vitro and suppression of the TLR3,4/NF-κB/TNF-α pathway as an important underlying molecular mechanism. These findings warrant Matrine to be further explored for its antiviral activity in clinical settings.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alkaloids / chemistry
  • Alkaloids / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Antiviral Agents / chemistry
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Circovirus / drug effects*
  • Circovirus / physiology*
  • Coinfection
  • Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral
  • Enzyme Activation / drug effects
  • Gene Expression
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Viral / drug effects
  • Genes, Viral
  • Macrophages, Alveolar / drug effects*
  • Macrophages, Alveolar / immunology
  • Macrophages, Alveolar / metabolism
  • Macrophages, Alveolar / virology*
  • Matrines
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • Porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus / drug effects*
  • Porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus / physiology*
  • Quinolizines / chemistry
  • Quinolizines / pharmacology*
  • Ribavirin / pharmacology
  • Swine
  • Toll-Like Receptor 3 / genetics
  • Toll-Like Receptor 3 / metabolism
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / genetics
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / metabolism
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / genetics
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism
  • Virus Replication / drug effects

Substances

  • Alkaloids
  • Antiviral Agents
  • NF-kappa B
  • Quinolizines
  • Toll-Like Receptor 3
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Ribavirin
  • Matrines