Cytomegalovirus biological activities

Very recently, (3-lactam antibiotics have been shown to offer neuroprotection by increasing glutamate transporters expression via gene activation [15] in addition, the discoveries of new biologically active (3-lactams such as cholesterol acyl transferase inhibitors [16-18], thrombin inhibitors [19], human cytomegalovirus protease inhibitors [20], matrix-metallo protease inhibitors [21], inhibitors of human leukocyte elastase (HLE) [22, 23] and cysteine protease [24, 25], and apoptosis inductors [26, 27] have provided much needed motivation for continuous development of new (3-lactam systems. 

Because of such extensive application in folk medicine, it is easy to understand the interest that the lapachol, the related naphthoquinones a-lapachone, P-lapachone and other naphthoquinones derivatives, have aroused as potential drugs. In fact, a broad variety of biological activities have been described for this kind of compounds. Some examples are antitumor promoting activities [11-12], inactivators of human cytomegalovirus protease [13], antiprotozoal activity [14], trypanocidal activity [15], anticancer activity [16], and antibacterial and antifungal activities [17]. 

Randolph-Habecker, J.R., Rahill, B., Torok-Storb, B., Vieira, J., Kolattukudy, P.E., Rovin, B.H., and Sedmak, D.D. (2002) The expression of the cytomegalovirus chemokine receptor homolog US28 sequesters biologically active CC chemokines and alters lL-8 production. Cytoldne, 19, 37—46. 

C.P., Verzijl, D., Bruggeman, C.A. et al. (2003) Constitutive signaling of the human cytomegalovirus-encoded receptor UL33 differs from that of its rat cytomegalovirus homolog R33 by promiscuous activation of G proteins of the Gq, Gi, and Gs classes. The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 278, 50010-50023. 

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