DIFFERENTIAL EFFECTS OF PHOTOACTIVE FURANYL COMPOUNDS ON VIRUS FUNCTIONS |
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| Authors: | J B Hudson E A Graham G C Chan G H N Towers |
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| Institution: | Division of Medical Microbiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B. C. Canada V6T 1W5;Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B. C. Canada V6T 1W5 |
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| Abstract: | Abstract— Five photoactive furanyl compounds were investigated for their activities against viruses. The two furanocoumarins used were 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) and angelicin; two furanochromones, visnagin and khellin, and the furanoquinoline, dictamnine, were also used. The DNA-containing herpes virus murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) and the RNA-containing togavirus, Sindbis virus, were the target viruses. All five compounds inactivated both viruses in the presence of UVA, although Sindbis virus was much less sensitive. The relative order of antiviral potency was 8-MOP > dictamnine > visnagin > angelicin > khellin. Dictamnine however was slightly more effective than 8-MOP against Sindbis virus. None of the treatments affected the structural integrity of MCMV, nor did they interfere with the normal transit of the virus into host cells or the localisation of the viral genome in the cell nucleus. Some early viral gene functions were expressed but the viruses did not replicate. |
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