Atividade antiviral de extratos brutos, ricos em polissacarídeos sulfatados, obtidos de macroalgas marrons e verdes contra o vírus dengue 2

Abstract

Dengue is considered the most important human arboviruses, and is a serious public health problem. This disease is endemic in tropical and subtropical regions, reaching more than 100 countries, which means the half of world population, and those epidemies have been appellant. It is estimated that Dengue virus could cause 390 millions of infections each year, and is an important cause of morbidity. Although this scenario, actually doesn’t exist a dengue antivirals still. Sorts of studies have showed antivirus activity of seaweed sulfated polysaccharides against enveloped viruses, which action seems to be associated to initials steps of infection process. In this study, was evaluated the potential antiviral activity of crude extracts rich in sulfated polysaccharides obtained from the brown algae Dyctiota menstrualis (EBDMens) and Dyctiota mertensii (EBDM), and green algae Codium isthmocladium (EBCl) and Caulerpa sertularioides (EBCS), tested against Dengue virus 2 (DENV-2) in Vero cell line, by using different methodological strategies (simultaneous treatment, post-infection treatment, cell pre-treatment, virus pre-treatment, adsorption, post-adsorption and penetration). The extracts cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTT reduction assay. The study of antiviral activity was determinated by quantifying viral RNA load using RT-qPCR, after 120 hours of infection. None extract has showed toxicity against Vero Cells in MTT reduction assay with 100 μg/mL concentration. All extracts have shown antiviral activity when added during the first 90 minutes of infection, and a significant reduction of viral RNA number of copies after 120 hours. The EBDMens and EBDM extracts were more efficient to cell and virus pretreatment assays, and the first has showed higher antiviral activity than EBDM during viral adsorption. The EBCI and EBCS extracts have presented antiviral activity very similar in cell pre-treatment assay. EBCI was more efficient in the reduction of DENV-2 adsorption in Vero cell. However, EBCS has showed more efficient in cell pre-treatment and penetration assays. Between the extracts evaluated, EBCS seems to be more effective against DENV-2. These results have showed potential action of extracts rich in sulfated polysaccharides with antivirus activity, suggesting that they act in the initials steps of infection process of DENV-2.