The interaction between silver nanoparticles and herpesviruses is attracting great interest due to their antiviral activity and possibility to use as microbicides for oral and anogenital herpes. In this work, we demonstrate that tannic acid modified silver nanoparticles sized 13 nm, 33 nm and 46 nm are capable of reducing HSV-2 infectivity both in vitro and in vivo. The antiviral activity of tannic acid modified silver nanoparticles was size-related, required direct interaction and blocked virus attachment, penetration and further spread. All tested tannic acid modified silver nanoparticles reduced both infection and inflammatory reaction in the mouse model of HSV-2 infection when used at infection or for a post-infection treatment. Smaller-sized nanoparticles induced production of cytokines and chemokines important for anti-viral response. The corresponding control buffers with tannic acid showed inferior antiviral effects in vitro and were ineffective in blocking in vivo infection. Our results show that tannic acid modified silver nanoparticles are good candidates for microbicides used in treatment of herpesvirus infections.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are promising new antimicrobial agents against a wide range of skin and mucosal pathogens. However, their interaction with the immune system is currently not fully understood. Dendritic cells (DCs) are crucial during development of T cell-specific responses against bacterial and viral pathogens. We have previously shown that tannic acid-modified silver nanoparticles (TA-AgNPs) consist of a promising microbicide against HSV-2. The aim of this study was to compare the ability of TA-AgNPs or TA-AuNPs of similar sizes (TA-Ag/AuNPs) to induce DCs maturation and activation in the presence of HSV-2 antigens when used at non-toxic doses. First, we used JAWS II DC line to test toxicity, ultrastructure as well as activation markers (MHC I and II, CD40, CD80, CD86, PD-L1) and cytokine production in the presence of TA-Ag/AuNPs. Preparations of HSV-2 treated with nanoparticles (TA-Ag/AuNPs-HSV-2) were further used to investigate HSV-2 antigen uptake, activation markers, TLR9 expression, and cytokine production. Additionally, we accessed proliferation and activation of HSV-2-specific T cells by DCs treated with TA-AgNP/AuNPs-HSV-2. We found that both TA-AgNPs and TA-AuNPs were efficiently internalized by DCs and induced activated ultrastructure. Although TA-AgNPs were more toxic than TA-AuNPs in corresponding sizes, they were also more potent stimulators of DCs maturation and TLR9 expression. TA-Ag/AuNPs-HSV-2 helped to overcome inhibition of DCs maturation by live or inactivated virus through up-regulation of MHC II and CD86 and down-regulation of CD80 expression. Down-regulation of CD40 expression in HSV-2-infected DCs was reversed when HSV-2 was treated with TA-NPs sized >30 nm. On the other hand, small-sized TA-AgNPs helped to better internalize HSV-2 antigens. HSV-2 treated with both types of NPs stimulated activation of JAWS II and memory CD8+ T cells, while TA-AgNPs treatment induced IFN-γ producing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Our study shows that TA-AgNPs or TA-AuNPs are good activators of DCs, albeit their final effect upon maturation and activation may be metal and size dependent. We conclude that TA-Ag/AuNPs consist of a novel class of nano-adjuvants, which can help to overcome virus-induced suppression of DCs activation.

Dolichol is a required cofactor for protein glycosylation, the most common posttranslational modification modulating the stability and biological activity of proteins in all eukaryotic cells. We have identified and characterized two genes, PPRD1 and -2, which are orthologous to human SRD5A3 (steroid 5α reductase type 3) and encode polyprenol reductases responsible for conversion of polyprenol to dolichol in Arabidopsis thaliana. PPRD1 and -2 play dedicated roles in plant metabolism. PPRD2 is essential for plant viability; its deficiency results in aberrant development of the male gametophyte and sporophyte. Impaired protein glycosylation seems to be the major factor underlying these defects although disturbances in other cellular dolichol-dependent processes could also contribute. Shortage of dolichol in PPRD2-deficient cells is partially rescued by PPRD1 overexpression or by supplementation with dolichol. The latter has been discussed as a method to compensate for deficiency in protein glycosylation. Supplementation of the human diet with dolichol-enriched plant tissues could allow new therapeutic interventions in glycosylation disorders. This identification of PPRD1 and -2 elucidates the factors mediating the key step of the dolichol cycle in plant cells which makes manipulation of dolichol content in plant tissues feasible.