The Recombinant Maize Ribosome-Inactivating Protein Transiently Reduces Viral Load in SHIV89.6 Infected Chinese Rhesus Macaques

• Main Authors: Rui-Rui Wang, Ka-Yee Au, Hong-Yi Zheng, Liang-Min Gao, Xuan Zhang, Rong-Hua Luo, Sue Ka-Yee Law, Amanda Nga-Sze Mak, Kam-Bo Wong, Ming-Xu Zhang, Wei Pang, Gao-Hong Zhang, Pang-Chui Shaw, Yong-Tang Zheng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2015-01-01
• Series: Toxins
• Subjects: maize RIP; anti-HIV; animal model; viral load
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/7/1/156
• ISSN: 2072-6651

Ribosome inactivating proteins (RIPs) inhibit protein synthesis by depurinating the large ribosomal RNA and some are found to possess anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) activity. Maize ribosome inactivating protein (RIP) has an internal inactivation loop which is proteolytically removed for full catalytic activity. Here, we showed that the recombinant active maize RIP protected chimeric simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) 89.6-infected macaque peripheral blood mononuclear cells from lysis ex vivo and transiently reduced plasma viral load in SHIV89.6-infected rhesus macaque model. No evidence of immune dysregulation and other obvious side-effects was found in the treated macaques. Our work demonstrates the potential development of maize RIP as an anti-HIV agent without impeding systemic immune functions.