Genipin as a novel chemical activator of EBV lytic cycle

• Published in: The journal of microbiology Vol. 53; no. 2; pp. 155 - 165
• Main Authors: Son, Myoungki, Lee, Minjung, Ryu, Eunhyun, Moon, Aree, Jeong, Choon-Sik, Jung, Yong Woo, Park, Gyu Hwan, Sung, Gi-Ho, Cho, Hyosun, Kang, Hyojeung
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.02.2015; The Microbiological Society of Korea; Springer Nature B.V; 한국미생물학회
• Subjects: acute course; antineoplastic agents; Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; Antiviral agents; Antiviral Agents - pharmacology; Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use; Apoptosis - drug effects; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cancer; carcinoma; cell cycle; Cell Cycle - drug effects; Cell Line, Tumor; China; Cytotoxicity; DNA Methylation - drug effects; dose response; drug therapy; Epstein-Barr virus; Flowering plants; Gammaherpesvirus; Gardenia jasminoides; gene expression regulation; Gene Expression Regulation, Viral - drug effects; Genomes; HEK293 Cells; Herpesvirus 4, Human - drug effects; Herpesvirus 4, Human - genetics; Herpesvirus 4, Human - physiology; Human gammaherpesvirus 4; Human herpesvirus 4; Humans; immunomodulators; India; Infections; infectious diseases; iridoid glycosides; Iridoids - pharmacology; Iridoids - therapeutic use; Japan; Life Sciences; Lymphoma; methylation; Microbiology; Microfilament Proteins; Myanmar; Oncogene Proteins; Pharmacy; progeny; Promoter Regions, Genetic - drug effects; Rheumatoid arthritis; Rubiaceae; S Phase - drug effects; Stomach Neoplasms - drug therapy; Stomach Neoplasms - virology; Taiwan; tumor suppressor genes; Vietnam; Viral Proteins - genetics; Virus Latency - drug effects; Virus Replication - drug effects; viruses; 생물학; Myanmar; Vietnam; China; Japan; Taiwan; India; South Korea; Myanmar (Burma); China, People's Rep; Epstein-Barr virus; lytic activation; genipin; methylation
• ISSN: 1225-8873; 1976-3794; 1976-3794
• DOI: 10.1007/s12275-015-4672-9

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a ubiquitous gammaherpesvirus that causes acute infection and establishes life-long latency. EBV causes several human cancers, including Burkitt’s lymphoma, nasopharyngeal and gastric carcinoma. Antiviral agents can be categorized as virucides, antiviral chemotherapeutic agents, and immunomodulators. Most antiviral agents affect actively replicating viruses, but not their latent forms. Novel antiviral agents must be active on both the replicating and the latent forms of the virus. Gardenia jasminoides is an evergreen flowering plant belonging to the Rubiaceae family and is most commonly found growing wild in Vietnam, Southern China, Taiwan, Japan, Myanmar, and India. Genipin is an aglycone derived from an iridoid glycoside called geniposide, which is present in large quantities in the fruit of G. jasminoides. In this study, genipin was evaluated for its role as an antitumor and antiviral agent that produces inhibitory effects against EBV and EBV associated gastric carcinoma (EBVaGC). In SNU719 cells, one of EBVaGCs, genipin caused significant cytotoxicity (70 μM), induced methylation on EBV C promoter and tumor suppressor gene BCL7A, arrested cell-cycle progress (S phases), upregulated EBV latent/lytic genes in a dose-dependent manner, stimulated EBV progeny production, activated EBV F promoter for EBV lytic activation, and suppressed EBV infection. These results indicated that genipin could be a promising candidate for antiviral and antitumor agents against EBV and EBVaGC.