Synthetic Frog-Derived-like Peptides: A New Weapon against Emerging and Potential Zoonotic Viruses

Given the emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), zoonoses have raised in the spotlight of the scientific community. Animals have a pivotal role not only for this infection, but also for many other recent emerging and re-emerging viral diseases, where they may represent both intermediate hosts and/or vectors for zoonoses diffusion. Today, roughly two-thirds of human infections are derived from animal origins; therefore, the search for new broad-spectrum antiviral molecules is mandatory to prevent, control and eradicate future epidemic outbreaks. Host defense peptides, derived from skin secretions of amphibians, appear as the right alternative to common antimicrobial drugs. They are cationic peptides with an amphipathic nature widely described as antibacterial agents, but less is reported about their antiviral potential. In the present study, we evaluated the activity of five amphibian peptides, namely RV-23, AR-23, Hylin-a1, Deserticolin-1 and Hylaseptin-P1, against a wide panel of enveloped animal viruses. A strong virucidal effect was observed for RV-23, AR-23 and Hylin-a1 against bovine and caprine herpesviruses, canine distemper virus, bovine viral diarrhea virus, and Schmallenberg virus. Our results identified these three peptides as potential antiviral-led candidates with a putative therapeutic effect against several animal viruses.