Peptide inhibitors of tembusu virus infection derived from the envelope protein

The outbreak and spread of Tembusu virus (TMUV) has caused very large losses in the waterfowl-breeding industry since 2010. The viral envelope (E) protein, the principal surface protein of viral particles, plays a vital role in viral entry and fusion. In this study, two peptides derived from domain II (DII) and the stem of the TMUV envelope protein, TP1 and TP2, respectively, were tested for their antiviral activity. TP1 and TP2 inhibited TMUV infection in BHK-21 cells, and their 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC₅₀) were 14.19 mg/L and 7.64 mg/L, respectively. Viral inhibition assays in different cell lines of avian origin showed that the inhibitory effects of TP1 and TP2 are not cell type dependent. Moreover, TP2 also exhibited inhibitory activity against Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection. The two peptides inhibited antibody-mediated TMUV infection of duck peripheral blood lymphocytes. Co-immunoprecipitation assays and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) indicated that both peptides interact with the surface of the TMUV virion. RNase digestion assays confirmed the release of viral RNA following incubation with TP1, while incubation with TP1 or TP2 interfered with the binding between TMUV and cells. Taken together, these results show that TP1 and TP2 may be developed into antiviral treatments against TMUV infection.