Protection of Mice against Fatal Herpes Simplex Type 2 Infection by Liposomes Containing Muramyl Tripeptide

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 228; no. 4698; pp. 495 - 497
• Main Authors: Koff, Wayne C., Showalter, Stephen D., Hampar, Berge, Fidler, Isaiah J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States The American Association for the Advancement of Science 26.04.1985; American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine - administration & dosage; Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine - analogs & derivatives; Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine - therapeutic use; Animals; Antibodies, Viral - analysis; Antivirals; Cancer; Dosage; Herpes Simplex - immunology; Herpes Simplex - prevention & control; Herpes simplex virus; herpes simplex virus 2; House mouse; Human herpesvirus 2; Infections; Injections, Intraperitoneal; Injections, Intravenous; Intravenous injections; Liposomes; Liposomes - administration & dosage; Macrophage Activation - drug effects; Macrophages; Male; Mice; Mice as laboratory animals; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Phagocytes; Phosphatidylethanolamines - administration & dosage; Phosphatidylethanolamines - therapeutic use; Simplexvirus - immunology; Viruses
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.2984772

Intravenous administration of liposomes containing muramyl tripeptide phosphatidylethanolamine, a lipophilic derivative of muramyl dipeptide that activates macrophages to a cytolytic state in situ, significantly protected mice against lethal challenge with herpes simplex virus type 2. These findings suggest that the systemic activation of macrophages by liposomes containing an immunomodulator can lead to prophylaxis of severe infections caused by herpesviruses.