In Vitro Antiviral Effect of "Nanosilver" on Influenza Virus

Introduction: Influenza is a viral infectious disease with frequent seasonal epidemics causing world-wide economical and social effects. Due to antigenic shifts and drifts of influenza virus, long-lasting vaccine has not been developed so far. The current annual vaccines and effective antiviral drugs are not available sufficiently. Therefore in order to prevent spread of infectious agents including viruses, antiseptics are considered by world health authorities. Small particles of silver have a long history as general antiseptic and disinfectant. Silver does not induce resistance in microorganisms and this ability in Nanosize is stronger. Materials and methods: The aim of this study was to determine antiviral effects of Nanosilver against influenza virus. TCID50 (50% Tissue Culture Infectious Dose) of the virus as well as CC50 (50% Cytotoxic Concentration) of Nanosilver was obtained by MTT (3- [4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide, Sigma) method. This compound was non-toxic to MDCK (Madin-Darbey Canin Kidney) cells at concentration up to 1 µg/ml. Effective minimal cytotoxic concentration and 100 TCID50 of the virus were added to the confluent cells. Inhibitory effects of Nanosilver on the virus and its cytotoxicity were assessed at different temperatures using Hemagglutination (HA) assay, RT-PCR (Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction), and DIF (Direct Immunofluorescent). RT-PCR and free band densitometry software were used to compare the volume of the PCR product bands on the gel. Results and Discussion: In this study it was found that Nanosilver has destructive effect on the virus membrane glycoprotein knobs as well as the cells.

[1]  S. Amini-Bavil-Olyaee,et al.  Molecular and phylogenetic analysis of human influenza virus among Iranian patients in Shiraz, Iran , 2007, Journal of medical virology.

[2]  B. Seong,et al.  Antiviral effect of catechins in green tea on influenza virus. , 2005, Antiviral research.

[3]  M. Yacamán,et al.  Interaction of silver nanoparticles with HIV-1 , 2005, Journal of nanobiotechnology.

[4]  E. Kodama,et al.  Broad spectrum anti-RNA virus activities of titanium and vanadium substituted polyoxotungstates. , 2003, Antiviral research.

[5]  P. Wagaman,et al.  Development of a novel influenza A antiviral assay. , 2002, Journal of virological methods.

[6]  H. Ochiai,et al.  Additional Inhibitory Effect of Tea Extract on the Growth of Influenza A and B Viruses in MDCK Cells , 2002, Microbiology and immunology.

[7]  D. C. Read,et al.  Interaction of silver nitrate with readily identifiable groups: relationship to the antibacterialaction of silver ions , 1997, Letters in applied microbiology.

[8]  T. Yamase,et al.  Synergistic anti-influenza virus A (H1N1) activities of PM-523 (polyoxometalate) and ribavirin in vitro and in vivo , 1997, Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy.

[9]  R. Arnon,et al.  Microculture virus titration--a simple colourimetric assay for influenza virus titration. , 1995, Journal of virological methods.

[10]  J. Skehel,et al.  Structure of influenza haemagglutinin at the pH of membrane fusion , 1994, Nature.

[11]  T. Shimamura,et al.  Inhibition of the infectivity of influenza virus by tea polyphenols. , 1993, Antiviral research.

[12]  G. F. Fuhrmann,et al.  The mechanism of the partial inhibition of fermentation in yeast by nickel ions. , 1968, Biochimica et biophysica acta.

[13]  E. Carraro,et al.  Applications of a duplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and direct immunofluorescence assay in comparison with virus isolation for detection of influenza A and B. , 2007, Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease.

[14]  A D Russell,et al.  Antimicrobial activity and action of silver. , 1994, Progress in medicinal chemistry.